NGE: To save the World
by Seraphofstrife
Summary: time travel fic originally titled Armageddon Averted, Still alive...sort of.
1. A new visitor

I noticed a lot of reviews said my first two to three chapters were full of ACC/self inserts, so in order to provide a more enjoyable read for new readers who find it a turnoff, I have those parts removed.

The first few chapters served no purpose besides providing quick synopsis of the Third Impact (yes, spoiler), the time traveling device, Asuka admitting she like Shinji, and some humor scenes between the two. 

If you still want to read it for info/fun (It is recommended), simply skip to the last chapter " Background story."

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, I think Gainax does. 

(This is the end segment of chapter three and first half of chapter four, where the Post-Third Impact Asuka warp into Shinji's bed room during the night before the 7th Angel attack)

Also, thank Marco again for proof-reading the chapters, I finally got around to start reading the typo list you sent me. 

---------------

Katsuragi Residence 

Shinji just finish kissing the sleeping Asuka, who apparently mistaken his room for hers and end up collapsing in his futon, displaying her feminine assets to him in their full glory. As he heard her say "mama", Shinji could only sigh, rewind his SDAT, and mumble something about "she is really a normal girl" and moved his blankets to another corner of the room. 

But before he can lie down again, a thunderclap went off in his room, accompanied by a bright flash of light. Before he could do anything, a body slammed into him and sent the boy tripping over the dozing Asuka and (literally) flying through the Shoji panel and right into the hallway. Even before he regain his sight from the flash, the particular pressure that is now burrowing into his chest and the smooth skin inform the poor boy that a girl just landed on top of him. A girl who apparently is now whispering his name in a fashion normally reserved for dispossessed lovers.

__

She is crying he thought. _She is barely wearing anything; her clothes feel like as if they were shredded…_ The thought should have alarmed him, but he is simply too dazed to think, the girl have her arms coil around his neck like a cobra ensnaring prey…and sobs on. The musky scent of ozone fills the air. Then in an almost slow motion, the lights came on. 

"Shinji you hentai ba….k…..a…"

It is almost as if time slowed down to accommodate such a wonderful (and shocking) event, but as the light cover over the mysterious girl, Shinji realize she have red hair, but that alone has not been the strangest part, nor is the waterfowl that fainted on the floor next to him.

What is strange and deeply disturbing, is the fact that beyond the ruined door, also stood a red-haired girl wearing pajamas with her balled fist slowly connecting toward his exposed face…

(This is where chapter IV starts)

Asuka stood there in stunned silence…below her lies a very stunned Shinji, and between the two of them is another Asuka dressed in clothes that is about to fall apart any second. There is ozone in the air on a stunned waterfowl on the floor. 

Despite Asuka's legendary command of profanities, for the first time in her life she found herself to be a loss of words. After all, you can hardly accuse someone to be hentai if you are glued to him at the same time…

__

WAIT A MINUTES!!!

"WHO THE HECK ARE YOU?" the standing-up-dressed-and-fist-curling Asuka screams in her usual friendly voice.

"Mein Gott, can you be a little bit noisier? I think there are people in Okinawa that missed your last shout." The second Asuka climb off Shinji. With a stare that can melt glass, she stands up unabashed and came face to face with the first Asuka.

The Atmosphere quickly became electrified…with a terrified Shinji crawling to a nearby corner as if the Third Impact is about to go off. Then, as quickly as it start, both Asukas backs off. 

"This….this can't be real" reaching out with one hand, the cloth-intact Asuka reaches out with her left hand…and pinch the other her in the place that all guys love to touch. 

The other Asuka wince a bit, but then replies: "oh gee…I never figured myself to be a lesbian, as much as I might explore this venue later so I don't have to deal with boys, do you mind if I can get your…err some of my clothes?"

"My clothes? Eww…nobody touch my clothes but me!"

"But I am you, and also…(dropping voice to a lower level) you realize that Shinji then can see EVERYTHING about YOU too right?" 

The dressed Asuka's face turn ashen as she scan the newcomer up and down, then with a great cry she grab the future-Asuka and push the girl into her room then slam the Shoji screen behind them. A furor of commotion follows, and a short period later two identical Asuka emerge from the room dressed in identical pajamas. Shinji, who went to get an ice pack for the punch in the face, got quite an eyeful from the two girls.

"What are you staring at?" The one on the left asks in an unfriendly tone. _That must be the one who just decked me. _

"Nothing! I swear! Sorry! Sorry!" Shinji quickly replies as he expect another furry of blows to come any second. 

"I know, he must be thinking those hentai fantasies about us right now," the right Asuka teased. 

"Shinji, you are so perverted you know that? At first there is Wondergirl, then Misato, then Ruitko, then Maya, now _us._"

As if on cue (Probably they were), both Asuka bend forward and poke Shinji in chest, while displaying their two sets of….ummm, feminine features to the poor boy, just like his future counterpart, Shinji faints with a nosebleed.

"Ah well, hentai." the right one smiles and poke Shinji's prone body one last time.

"Ok, now can you explain who you are?"

  
For the next half hour or so the future-Asuka explain how and why she ended up back in the present, and how the third Impact started. The present Asuka listens in surprise, and then finally frowned as the tale came to an conclusion. 

"Are everything you say is real?"  


"I am afraid so, but it can be reversed, it must be. I came back for this purpose, Shinji, my Shinji...I am afraid he might already give his life for this purpose." 

Silence hover over the air as both Asukas stare at the unconscious form on the ground.

"Asuka, you have to understand," The futures Asuka say: "Please don't tell this to anyone. If NERV or SLEELE find out, my life won't worth spit." 

"Yea, but how can I cover for us both?" 

"Tell them I am your long lost sister, Tsuka, and I just found out about my long lost sister from Germany so I decide to reunite with you."  


"Tsuka? What a dumb name."  


Ignoring that gibe, the Tuska replies:" We got distinguish ourselves somehow."

"Fine…" present Asuka frowns:" They are not going to buy that, they are NERV, one of the biggest intelligence organizations out there. No matter what you say, they will go check it."  
  


"Don't worry about it, I have away to deal with it, I need to buy time. I need to somehow convince Rei to forgo joining with Lilth, Shinji to stand up for himself so he wont hopeless agree to Lilth's demands to become her staging platform for the third Impact, because the first time he failed to realize that having people around him is a good thing. And if possible, find where Gendo keep Adam and destroy it."

"Wondergirl? If she is the trigger, then kill her, I can ambush her after one of those sync test and bam! No third impact."

"That wont work, they will just grow another one in a short order, presumably separated and guarded with a lot more of security." 

"I always suspect Rei came in tubes, argh, what you suggest is very dangerous, it could cost us our lives."

"It will be worth it, my Shinji most likely already paid it with his, I must do what it takes to make sure his sacrifice is not in wasted."

After a long silence, Asuka asks: "You realize this means we have to be nice to wondergirl."

"Yea, I am afraid so, except one thing through."

"What?"

"I am, no, WE are not sharing baka boy with her."

Asuka blinks. 

----

Sometime later that night 

Shinji wakes up due to some unnatural pains and pressure that seem to be covering all over his body. Opening his eyes, he realize there is a pair of female arms encircled around his chest from behind, even through in front of him is another sleeping Asuka, with _her _arms around his neck. And as far as he can tell, the girl from behind just entwined her legs around his in a way that can be defined a little bit more than naughty. 

Carefully turning his head around, he saw the other girl smiling as she slept, so did the one who is in front of him. With the feeling of their breasts burrowing into his chest and back, Shinji nearly had a coronary on the spot. But thankfully someone in heaven apparently decided to shower the boy with some luck so he manages not to have another nosebleed. 

Unthankfully however, is that both girls show absolutely no signs of letting go or even loosening their grip anytime soon.

__

Misato said we had to sleep together to train for the battle for the Angel, and I know Asuka have sleepwalking problems, but this is ridiculous!

Shinji then made some estimates of what would happen if he tried to peel off the girls by waking them up, since apparently his own limbs have been jellified somehow, except for his, umm… toothpick, which apparently have been inflated then petrified. Then he consider the consequences of what would happen when Asuka(s) wakes up…the very least she will do is call him a pervert…

With a tiny whimper, Shinji falls back to sleep.

But before he fell into the sandman's hand again, he prays that Misato won't find him like this in the morning.

His prayer was not granted. 

-----------

Morning

Despite the fact there is a (two) multi-ton monster(s) out there who is about to exterminate all of civilization, Misato hemmed a little tone as she key the door to her residence. The major know although she made orders to force the teens to sleep together, there is zero chance it would actually happen, with Asuka's temper and Shinji's lack of a spine to force the issue. 

So which means she get to issue a few punishments when those two get back, as she open the door, she found the Shoji screen to Shinji's room torn with a large gap as if a body flew out of it, chuckling to herself, she peer into the gap expect to find Shinji inside, after a wild night with Asuka and the redhead somewhere else. 

__

I got a bet riding on this. The major thought.

What she sees is beyond her wildest imaginations. 

Shinji is VERY much in bed with Asuka; in fact, he is with TWO of them. While such a situation would imply incredible changes had took place during the night, the fact there is a second girl, well in the word of Gendo Ikari: "This is not according the Scenario." 

If not for the fact there is an Angel threat looming in the horizon, the Major probably would have fainted on the spot. Or get drunk, very, very drunk. But thankfully for Tokyo-3, her military instinct overrode the urgency for alcohol. So like any sensible adult when they found their children in bed with unrelated members of the opposite sex, Misato screams: " WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"

The shout woke up the sleepy trio from their pleasant (and in Shinji's case unpleasant) slumber. The two girls quickly cover their mental inadequacies with males by smacking Shinji on the head and shout the usual curses, a bit half heartily this time. 

Asuka is the first one to recover and start talking fast: "Good Morning Misato, you are the one to told us to sleep together, it is not my fault baka-boy tried to get a feel off me. This is my sister Tsuka, she just came from Germany. " 

With her thunder stolen, she could only utter, "I didn't know you have a sister."

"Neither did I, she showed up at our door steps last night, and you can see, she got the right credentials right?"

Shinji tried to say something, but Asuka and Tsuka each hold one end of the pillow over his head so no words could come out.

Long pause. 

"And why is she sleeping with Shinji then?"

Nervous laughters answered her. 

Longer pause. Except for the fact Shinji's hand begin to claw the air around him because he is running out of oxygen, of course, the three females in the room didn't notice that fact.

"Alright you kids, lets go kill that Angel. You, young lady (Pointing at Tsuka) are going to have a talk with me after this."

-----

The author will promptly skip this battle; after all, we all watch the anime before, but at the same at the Katsurgi residence…. 

Turning around to make sure no one can see what she is doing, Tsuka issue a mental command to active the XIA-computer. To her surprise, words begin to appear in front of her, and NOT from the monitors. The redhead frowned in surprise, but didn't flinch. 

-Hello Asuka, just think about the words you want to say. 

"Err ok." Realizes she talk out loud, drawing the attention of the family penguin. Quickly she murmurs "sorry, leg spasm." Pen-Pen stare at her one second then said "WAKKK" then went back to his place in the refrigerator. 

-Careful, we don't want to attract attention.

-This is kind of new to me since I am not into people writing under my eyelids. And there is only Pen-Pen around anyway.

-I understand, but you may have to be careful, NERV have bugs everywhere, my sensors are picking up three of them right now. 

Well allow me to introduce myself, I am a class five Alpha personal computer, one of the lost tech salvaged from the Out-bound project. I am what pass close to intelligence as a computer can go. I understand my mission and I will do my best to assist you. As my first suggestion, I recommend you to look appear to be normal while I unlock the NERV network for you. To do this, take a UPS cable and plug it into the slot on the back of your neck.

When she did she is told, the machine quickly took over the operation from there. It didn't take it very long to get into NERV"s computers, because the XIA-computer have the complete records of ever code in all of NERV and SLEELE' computers, all salvaged from the destroyed Magi system. 

-Surf some sites; order some clothes…appear to be doing something than stare at a blank screen. 

-Oh, ok.

Tsuka presses a few keys and open a browser and launch a site about fashion for teenagers, absent-mindly, she select a few items, order them, but change her mind in the last second and have them canceled. Experiencing third impact, several Angels and the loss of _her _Shinji, have not change her taste for clothes too much.

-While we are passing time as I hack into NERV's system, is there anything you want to ask?

-Where did my Shinji go?

-He separated with you in the time vortex, so he could be anywhere between a few days to -30 years back somewhere on this planet. If he is still alive, it would be hard to find because like you, Shinji's computer can mask itself fairly well so he can pass through any security net. 

Asuka paused to digest its words, but she couldn't think of anything as a reply. Silently reassuring herself her Shinji would come back to her at all cost, hell, he survived the third impact just to see her. Times ticked away until a new message flashes in her eye. 

-Access complete, you now have the control of the entire system besides the three wise men themselves. The level of sentience present in the MAGI means it will take longer to take over, I have installed a stealth version, but it will take me one to two weeks for a complete take over. 

-Good, can you open up my files? 

-Accessing…done

A photo of Asuka Langley appear on her eyelids along with streams of data detailing her medical and biological records, along with early histories till the present day. Quickly scrolling past the more painful histories, she finally reaches the bottom part that marks "comments"

-Good, input the following information: "Although we cannot confirm it, one of our agents reported the hospital that handled Asuka's birth had a record for a second child, but no such record exit and the chief doctor who was responsible for the surgery vanished in the chaos following the second impact." And if you can, include some medical stuff that has to do with twins. 

-Done. Anything else? 

-Where is Lilth? 

-She is frozen in Bakelite right now in a cold storage room in Central dogma. And while on a side note, I think you may find it interesting I found the 17th Angel, he is in a SEELE lab near Alaska, off the map.

-SEELE bred on Angel? 

-Yes, the salvages from Tokyo-3's MAGI core before the jump confirmed its existence; it is in a separate life support system that is not hooked online so I can't interrupt it. I cannot give you a visual yet since their computer encryption is amazing. 

-So is there anything I can do?

-Anything you do would be dangerous at this point. I have replicate my conscience into the system, but it might take a while to bear fruit. 

-Ok, log off then…wait, how is it the battle outside?

-It was over 2.38 minutes ago. 

-Oh, bye. 

----

Back at the Misato residence, several hours later

A tired German red head and an equally tired Japanese boy trudge through the door, exhausted from their latest kill. Misato always said: "another day another Angel," but hey, she was never the one doing the killing. Somehow, despite all his training, Shinji still cannot get used to piloting one of those 40 tons bio-weapons. There is just something unholy about a dunk into LCL follow by a open duke out with one of those acid-energy-AT field monstrosities AND always ended up with a near power failure. The word "five minutes" now held a special meaning in the second child's head. Asuka is equally tired from the bus ride back because Misato had to stay behind and do paperwork (of course, it might have something to do with Kaji, she thought glumly). Her mood is bleak, to say the very least. 

And the sight at home is enough to send her mood into the Abyss. 

Tsuka, dressed in a bathrobe and whistling a tone to herself, is carrying _her_ favorite _red_ blanket and futon into Shinji's room. With a cheerful Pen-Pen in tow no less. 

Asuka did what she did best; she wailed. 

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING????"

"Moving into Shinji's room, what else?"

The mention of his name instantly shook Shinji out of his lethargy, and the fact A…err Tuska is moving into his room is…well, shock him even more.

"my..my room?" is all Shinji able to utter.

"Yes your room, hon. I lost mine, so I guess I need an replacement."

"You need an replacement? Why do you want this baka hentai?? And what do you mean a replacement?" 

"yea.." Shinji stammered, then paused a moment: "Replacement for what?"

With a perfectly straight face, Tuska reply:" Replacement as my stuff animal of course." 

Shinji faints!

Looking at her fallen companion, Asuka sighs; "He is so easy isn't he."  


"Yea, show him one bit of sexual innuendo and he drop like rock, he was never a pervert, just a spineless fool." 

"Yea, unlike the stooges he hangs out with." 

"That reminds me, did you know Kensuke and Toji was selling yours, or should we say our pictures?"

"Is that so…" Asuka's eyes narrows.

"I think a lesson is in order." Tsuka replies.

"Indeed, what do you have in mind?"

Somewhere in a field outside the city, Kensuke and Toji sneeze violently!

----

Please leave reviews and advice, or prepare to be trampled by EVA-02 during the next Angel attack. 


	2. Otaku and the albino

Disclaimer: See disclaimer about my ownerships…you know, I wonder, does it matter if u put up a disclaimer? I don't think the company that made NGE still even making copies of it anymore. 

Version 1.4: any pervious version should be deleted

Chapter two: The Otaku and the Albino  

The next school day

Kensuke, the boy Otaku who spends his time with only Cameras, guns and computers, is annoyed. Irritated by his latest failure to hack NERV's MAGI system, he decides to arrive early to class and forgo his daily in take of anti-depressants. Just for the hell of it. As he arrives in class, he looks around and saw only Rei, the class Rep, Toji (surprisingly) and the usual 6-7 people that usually arrive early. Like any other day, he wave at his good friend before sitting down. And like any other day, Toji turns around to chat with Kensuke, who opens up his pack and pull out a can of soda one hand, pop it open then start drinking the reddish content inside. 

After exchanging the usual false pleasantries that teenage boys give to each other, Toji, thoughtless of other people's feeling always, decide to begin his usual teasing when Shinji (his favorite target) and the devil is not around: "Did you find a girlfriend yet? Or are you still watching those girls on your computer?" 

The words register a pang of regret in Kensuke's heart, but he quickly hid it. Being one of the few single boys in the class, the fact he did not have a "girlfriend" is a subject of constant teasing by the male population. Not that he is not interested, but repeat rejections, compounds with late night sessions with his computer had made him a little bit withdrawn sometimes, especially in the morning when he is without his. Toji, literally a stud and a jock, has no problem attracting famine attention, in fact, it was often whispered in the girl's locker room (despite Hikari's attempt to crush them) that more than one change session have turned into a discussion of the boy's manhood. 

"No, I do not have an girlfriend. I got better things to do that chasing girls, thank you very much."

"Oh come now," Toji, with his trademark lecherous grin, "Surely you got have someone in mind…or do you plan to make love to your computer at night, or your toy guns…"

_THAT DOES IT!_ Kensuke thought; but his face betray no emotions except for the pressure he puts on the can of soda. Staring into the reflection of the school-issued laptop, he realizes the usual methods of having the class Rep drag Toji away does not work at the moment because she is watering the plants across the room. It is obvious she has the hot for the Jock, and of course, Toji is too stupid to realize it, more than once Hikari had jerked him away when another girl is making an advance, and he surely hated her for it, yet never did anything but wince. Both of them could not understand it, but they already have something together.

With no other allies in sight, Kensuke decide to say something before he lose his grip on his fragile sanity: "Toji, friend, let me explain something to you…girls are evil vampires, and I am not in the mood to be sucked dry."

"So you are gay now?" Toji asks, joking as usual.

"No, no, no," Using a tone that is fit for an Chinese communist Commandant, a British detective or an American teacher that have zero respect for his student, "allow me to explain something to you, friend Toji. In fact, allow me to prove it in scientific terms;

ONE. Girlfriend, not female friend, always want two things, time and money from you, at least, those are the two primary things they want. So a girlfriend is equal to time multiplied by money

TWO. We all knows the old universal term, time is money, so that make the girl in question equal to money times money, or money squared. 

THREE. We know that money is the root of all evils, so therefore, money is equal to the square root of evil. 

FOUR: So which means, girlfriend is equal to evil squared then square rooted. 

FIVE: And what does that equal to class?"    

Toji, to say the very least, is speechless. Of course, Toji is always speechless when he got lectured in math, and before anyone can blink, he is transformed from a Jock on top of the world, to a student that stood silently as his teacher berated him for not doing his homework. Kensuke is smiling, just so slightly, knowing his days won't be so bad after all. And Kensuke knows for a fact no one in the class right now would come to the idiot's defense. 

But of all things he considered, the Ayanmi factor was not one of those. Especially since the last time he saw her she was several seats back and staring out the window, and now she appears right behind him. 

"Mr. Aida, I think you do every girl in this class a disservice by saying all girls are evil. In fact, I think you simply made that up to cover your own inadequacies with the opposite sex." 

The effects of her words were dramatic, to say the very least; as an lungful of atomized soda explodes out of Kensuke mouth and cover his deck, laptop and Toji. Grasping for air, he turns around, only to see Rei walking back toward her seat, and if anyone is watching VERY carefully, they would see a ghost of a smile painted on her face as she walk back to her seat. 

"Did I just get blindsided by Rei??" isthe only thing Kensuke can think. 

Thankfully, the shocking words or a spray of soda did nothing to dispel Kensuke's hold over the Jock, but it did something else; it replace it with the grand shock that everyone else shared in the room, Rei talked-and more than five words too! Even Hikari, normally a bastion of unshakable faith, drop her Water Jar with a bang.  

If Rei's words didn't outright KILL Kensuke, the next thing that happens surely did: Shinji, with a glum face that spoke in volumes and in several different ways, just march in with not one, but TWO brides to Satan, each one hugging one of his arms. And to make the matter worse, both of them, as if on cue, escort Shinji to his seat, give him a peak in the cheek (which nearly made him faint) then advance on the two Stooges with knuckle cracking and death glittering in their eyes. Kensuke, shocked as hell, didn't even feel it as the two redheads of doom pull out his camcorder from his bag and slam it on his head. 

As the Otaku spiral down into the tunnel of unconsciousness and his soda splashed all over his chest like blood, one thought remains on his mind:

"Yup, today is going to be a bad day." 

--------

20 minutes later…

As the Paramedics finally clear the room of the two unconscious stooges, the sensei walks in with a folder in hand. As usual, he introduces to the class their new student, Tsuka, the sister of the most chased girl in the school. Then begin his droning sermons about the Second Impact; ignoring the fact two Class-one assault-and battery just took place, or the Asuka twins that now flank each side of Shinji. Both of them smiling at him fondly, and a wave dangerously audible gashing of livers can be heard from the rest of the male population. Opening up his laptop, Shinji quickly moved to delete the torrent of message-bombs that is now threatening to overload his laptop. With topic ranging from the expected: "Is she really Asuka's sister? Come on man you don't need two of them! You lucky son of a bitch" to the more odd ball ones like "Is she a NERV experiment?" to the more dangerous ones: "You are dead now, punk."

Shinji however, didn't flinch. Already expecting such problems, for once there is no way he can blame this to be his fault, The two Asukas' plan bound to put his health in jeopardy anyway. He is well aware this is for a show anyway, well…he is half a sure since Tsuka seem to be…rather warm to him …

Then a small beep caught his attention as an IM box popped up.

Red Angel: I must say Shinji, you have to look appreciated! You nearly blew our plan, if those stooges had even a bit of sense, they would gotten away and so would my revenge! 

Ikari : **(Sigh) **you know, you got what you wanted, why don't you just leave me alone.

Red Angel: Hey Shinji, you are getting worshipped by two Langleys, why complain?

Ikari:  #1, I am not being worshipped, nor do I wish to be, #2 

Ikari: #2 I am in seriously danger now. The whole class, no the whole school thinks I am having the time of my life with you two, and the entire male population is this close from crucifying me alive for it. 

Red Angel: Danger, for the invincible third child?? 

Ikari :… 

Red angel: Look, baka, if you are so afraid, just select all the "threat" mails and forward them to sector II agents that is probably now lurking out in the hall. Let them deal with it, I fully wish them to focus all their negative attention on these perverts who cant get a life. And you know those guys in Sec 2 have absolutely zero sense of humor. 

Ikari:  Asuka!

Red Angel: It is your neck. 

Red angel signed off at 9:22 AM 

Shinji can only sigh as he turns off his Laptop; this is going to be a long day. 

Sitting from Shinji's left is Tsuka, who is now increasingly annoyed at the mass amount of mails from new and loving fans. Not to mention going through the EXACT same Second Impact lesson…again. Her implant is silent, perhaps still busy cracking the MAGI code. 

But the bigger question floating in her head is: 

I _am cheating my Shinji, who could be right now looking for me? By trying to steal a younger version of him? Or worse, am I making my younger self-jealous? I know I had some feeling for him even now, just always too proud to admit it. Oh crap, how can cheat myself? Is stealing your own boyfriend wrong?? ARGH!! Oh my Shinji, where are you now? Are you even still alive?_

-----

Later that evening...

Tokyo-3 City Hospital 

It is pitch dark when Kensuke wake up from his slumber. Tired, sick and without taking his "happy pills", the young otaku is on the verge of an emotional breakdown. Looking around his surrounding, he sees no one around and the two other hospital beds lied empty. To his left on a cabinet is a mirror, curious, Kensuke look into it. His right arm is in a cast, a X-bandage cover his right cheek, most of his head wrapped in Gauze, covering one right eye in the process. 

"Ouch." 

_So you really brought it this time, huh Kensuke old boy?_ He thought. 

_This time you got no one to blame, not Toji, not the devil. You should know better than to take Asuka's picture and sell them_. A dry voice in his head informed him. 

_It was for revenge._

_Ah-huh, those photos you keep under your bed is also as revenge?_

_You shut up._

When the voice gives no reply, Kensuke sighed. 

_That is another problem without Prozac… you can't hide from yourself without it._

Kensuke turns around and walk out the door. 

It was almost eerie as Kensuke walk down the deserted halls to the front desk. The health system got so much better these days so not too many people goes to the hospital anymore, barring an EVA attack or a "accidental" N2 mine explosion. There is a single nurse stationed there, reading an old manga the Otaku saw a few months ago in school while listening to some crappy late night romance show. The boy didn't care, he walk right past her and it was not until he cleared the lobby did he hear the nurse shout something from behind, muffled by the glass. 

He continues to march on for a while, until he reached a train stop roughly ten blocks away from where he started. He swipe his Credit Card through the machine and it spit back a ticket, and he then walk down the stairs to wait for the train. There was no one at the station, except for a certain albino girl with blue hair dressed in a conservative school uniform. 

Rei. Like usual, stare across the platform as if the mysteries of life is lying on other side. 

_Do you think she even thinks_? The dry voice in Kensuke's head asks.

_I think so, I mean she does well on her tests and she is an EVA pilot right? So they have to be smart, cool under fire…_ an image of Shinji popped up, _and dead of any independent thought._ The voice finishes it for him. 

_A children's crusade._

W_hat? _The voice asks in surprise. 

People like Rei and Shinji and even Asuka remind me of the Middle Ages stories I used to read; where the pope commanded everyone to go on a crusade to free the holy land. The Children, full of idealism and hope, banded together in the ages of 10-16 and marched down to the holy land when the adults knew it was hopeless, they end up all dead before reaching the holy land, with the lucky ones sold to slavery in the Arab states.

What does that tell you about your desire to pilot an EVA?

"DAMNIT WILL YOU SHUT UP!" Kensuke screams in fury as he realizes the voice just pushed another of his buttons. 

"Mr. Aida, I did not realize my voice was so loud."

"Huh?" Turning around, he see Rei staring at him, standing less than three steps away, so close he could smell the mint in her Breath. The last time he saw her she was almost on the other end of the station. 

She can move that's for sure.  

"Ah Ayanmi, I am sorry, I am so sorry! I was talking to myself out loud." Kensuke franticly tries to cover his fear, as the morning incident pop back into his mind like a fist. 

Like usual, Rei did not answer, but instead she choose to continue to stare at him. If her eyes were laser, the poor Otaku would be fried to crisp within microseconds. 

"Err…Look Ayanmi, I am sorry about the morning thing, I was trying to get the jock off my back and I didn't realize I hurt your feelings."

Rei continue to stare at Kensuke as if she is trying to stare through him, while Kensuke could barely keep the sweat off his face or the creeping feeling of doom that is threatening to engulf him. 

_Like a black widow she watches... _The dry voice whispers in his mind.

She stares.

Then she stares.

Then she stared some more. 

"You are different."

"Huh?"

"You seem to be more observant, and less…active…than before."

"Oh, that is because I didn't have my happy pills" _Opps, I didn't mean it that way. Great, she must think I am some crazy pothead now_. Quickly, Kensuke fished out the small bottle he had in his pants pocket and show it to Rei as proof it is legal. 

Rei ignores the bottle and continue to look into Kensuke's eye then asks: "What is happiness?" 

"I really can't explain it. It is like…well, not sad."

"So are those the pills that make you act like who you are normally?" 

Great, she now mark me as some introverted-freak 

"Yea, I guess."

"Then can I try some?"

Ayanmi, happy, well, that certainly is a concept the normal Kensuke would have loved to oblige, but for the safely of the universe, the dry voice in his head vetoed that thought. For once he have to agree…Asuka already do enough damage to this city _per Angel attack _as it is, and heaven knows what would happen to Toyoko-3 if a giggling, laughing _otaku_ Rei joins in.  

"No, I don't recommend it. I use it only because I have a chemical imbalance. Ask your doctors if you think you need it will ya? Drugs are never solutions to anything. And a mentally healthy young girl like you don't need anything cruel like this." Kensuke thought he was going to spit over the word _healthy_.   
  
  


"I don't understand."

As she talk on, a light fill the tunnel as a train roar into the station, out of the corner of his eyes, Kensuke knew it was not for him, in fact, it was an Express Train to the outer district of the city. In an act of bravery, he put his bandage-less arm on Rei's shoulderand said: "Ayanmi, look it is my train, I have to go now, but if you ever come in the class smiling and feel like to talk, I will explain everything to you." 

Without another word, Kensuke got on to train. And for the next uncomfortable five seconds, he can feel Rei's eyes boring into his back, and then she looks away and said: 

"I will hold you to it." 

Kensuke, in his surprise, pause to look back. But the Albino girl is already out of sight and the door hissed and close with the finality of a coffin being slammed shut. It was not until two and a half hour later, when Kensuke got off the train to change to a different one, he realizes his Prozac bottle was missing. 


	3. Blank Chapter 1

According to a friend of mine, by removing several chapters at once from FF.net may create a bug for reviews and sometime take the fic offline completely. So I made this fill-in chapter until I can get something in place of it. 

Please hit "next" and go to the next chapter. Thank you and have good day. 


	4. Another Shinji

This is another rewrite, no big deal. 

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, please don't sue. 

Chapter: 3 The future Shinji 

Somewhere else, several years earlier

The blast of ozone send Shinji Ikari right through the warp gate, and with a loud crackle of thunder, it send him rolling like a bowling ball …into a wall of garbage cans. Groaning loudly about his misfortunes, Shinji finally climb out the mess. Thankfully, the garbages were all sealed in bags, so it didn't make a mess. 

But that does not mean Shinji is not one. When he looks down, he saw his clothes were tattered by the warp. The Uniform Gerald give him is nearly in ribbons, thankfully, he wore his old clothes right under it, but there were scratch marks and holes all over it as well. Looking around, he saw himself in alleyway of some kind, then he notices he begin to see words in front of his eyes.

-Greeting, I am C-3PO, human cyborg relationship specialist. 

When the Computer note there is no significant brainwave increase in its host, 

-You don't get the joke. 

-no. 

-You are no fun, most people when they first use me, they thought they are going crazy. 

-Maybe the shock would settle in later. 

-Oh. Well, as far as I can tell, we are back in time. 

-To murder my father and SEELE. 

-Not exactly. 

-What do you mean not exactly? 

-We, are a little bit backer than we are. 

-What? 

-Go look around, let me switch you to German-Japanese translations. 

As he walks out the alley, Shinji realize he got out in a busy street, and one of the billboard sign that sat directly over the building he was staring at was "Munich celebration to new year of 2004 in (a timer scrolling backward)" And the second poster with a picture of a old man bordering senile line states: "Say no to American Imperialism! Peace for all time"

(Ok I couldn't resist that bit of OOC…but come on, Bush is a diplomatic nightmare for United States as far as I am concerned) 

_HOLY CRAP!!_

-Told you so.

Before he can react, a screeching sound can be heard as everyone screams and run for cover as a bus came bearing down the street, its driver either drunk or dead. And stood on the next intersection is a young red-haired German girl in a green school uniform holding a stuffed Bear and frozen in fear like a deer in front of a Headlight. Without a second thought, Shinji charges forward.

If someone strapped the Third child to a chair later and ask him what have he done next, he wouldn't be able to answer. In a blur, Shinji manage to dash more than a hundred meters under five seconds*. With a sprint, he sends his own body sailing forward like a Javelin. And bless the law of physics, the force allow him and the girl out the harm's way. 

*before anyone say a word about physical impossibility of such a task, especially for Shinji, I like to remind you this is a anime fan-fic, not one of my sci-fi originals, thank you.-Author  

Well…almost out of harm's way. The girl is all right, but Shinji slam his head on to a traffic light post instead. 

As planets, stars and dancing EVAs in tutu spins around in his head slowly come to focus, Shinji realize he is sitting in front a red-haired lady dressed in a rich blue shirt and black skirt that cover up to her knees, with the young girl he rescued hiding behind her. The lady bent down and wave her fingers at him. Around them, a small throng of foreigners stood and watched the scene. 

"Are you all aright?" She askin German, at first Shinji couldn't understand how he is able to understand, then he remembers the XIA-Implant he had. 

"I am fine." Shinji expects Japanese come out of his mouth, but instead German did. 

_I guess the little device is more useful than I thought._

-Thank you. 

-Don't count it. 

"I must thank you for saving my daughter. My name is Kyoko Zeppelin Sohryu. This is my daughter Asuka. Come on, let me take you to hospital and have a look at that bump, afterwards I can treat you to dinner, after all, it is the least thing I can do for you for saving the light of my life."

  
Not sure if he heard it correctly, Shinji ask again: "say that again?"  
  
  


A bit louder this time the lady replies: "I will take you to the hospital…"

"No, not that part, I don't need to go see an doctor, an ice pack will do thank you, but what did you say your name was?"

"_Kyoko Zeppelin Sohryu" _

_ Kyoko, Asuka's mother?? OH-MY-GOD! Exactly how far back did I go??? And if that is Asuka's mom, then the little girl…_

Before Shinji can finish his thought, his mind is flooded with images of his last night with Asuka. Combine with the heat of the weather, the face of the little girl that is now staring at him as if he is some monster, and compound it with the injuries he suffered earlier, Shinji did exactly what most sensible people (and anime character do).

He faints. 

-----

Ten years later (Third day since Tsuka came back)

It is sixth period in the Tokyo-3 district high school, and that means gym class for the 9th grade students. Like every other time, Asuka pop open her locker and find a pile of love notes, sealed with the usual red heart stickers.  

"Mein Gott! I swear Japanese people have no life! All of them are perverts and idiots!" Asuka fumes and begin to stump the pile of envelopes. Turning around, she found Tsuka opening her locker, and about equal amount of love letters fell out.

"These boys sure did their homework…I didn't even know where my locker is until a hour ago. Hell, it looks like some of these letters are addressed to you too. I guess they figure they should double their chances."

Asuka snorts: "Perverts."

Tsuka grace her younger sister with a dazzling smile then sighed "Now it would been worth it if I got one from my Shinji-Kun, I was never brave enough to say I loved him in the end." 

"You are sick you know that?! Shinji is such a loser, a pervert, an idiot! I cannot believe you would even touch that baka, much less sleeping with him!"

"You did too you know, and I didn't remember Misato said you had to held on to his neck so tightly in order to fight the seventh Angel" Tsuka reply coyly.

A aura of silence falls over the locker room as every girl turns around and stare at the twins, even Hikari stood there and watch the two redheads with awe, just as their faces rapidly turning red as their hair. Before the day is done, the rumor mill is going to fly…

---

Main While…

A loud thud can be heard in the boy's Locker room as Shinji found himself sailing into a wall of lockers. As images of naked Asukas dancing around his head stabilizes, another fist slam into his chest while two pairs of arms grab on to him and pin him to the wall. Looking around, he found himself in the arms of two big super-seniors while a third one crackle his knuckles as he look at Shinji evilly. Around them, roughly three dozens of students in Shinji's age group stood in silence and watch on, but no one move to do anything. 

"So...the little boy got my Asukas and he is double timing her. What are you going to say?"

"Go get a life?" Shinji quipped. Then he immediately regrets it as the big jock turned red and his eyes start twitching violently. But quickly as it started, his rage subsided. 

"It looks like Romeo here thinks he is tough…I don't like tough guys do I boys?"

"No boss" his cronies replied. 

"In fact, I think I will fix our Romeo a little bit, and maybe then Asuka would think about us better." 

_These guys would really need to get a life,_ Shinji thought. _I got do something._

_It is your fault_. An inner voice calls out. 

_No it is not, it is Asuka's fault._

_IT_ _IS! You could have refused Tuska's plan, but you are weak! You believed them!_

_And what happen if I didn't! It is simply the difference of getting jump now or get jumped by two Asukas last night._

Suddenly, for one reason or another, Kensuke's voice enters his head. On bad days when his dad forgot to refill his prescription of anti-depressant, the Otaku often walked around reciting the _Art of War_ in the original Chinese. On good days when his dad forgot to refill his Prozac, Shinji get them in Japanese.  

And one quote that popped up in Shinji's mind was "On deadly ground, FIGHT!" And there is nothing more deadly, short of an EVA attack, than now. As the Jock swing his fist at Shinji, the boy react with a reflex gained from hours of EVA piloting, swing his leg upwards and kicked the Jock in _there.  _

The big guy in the front collapses like a house of cards. In their surprise, one of the goons let go Shinji's left hand, with the speed that would made Asuka green with Envy, he deliver a punch right in the right guy's jaw. As the second goon reel back in pain, Shinji broke free and made a dash for the door to the gym. Two kids from his own age group, by accident or hostility got in his way, but they didn't even slow Shinji down as one of them went down by a nasty jab in the neck while the other one got a kick in the chest. The next thing he knows half of the guys in the dress room begin to chase him. With the grace of a panther, Shinji leap through the door and…

Asuka, Tuska, Rei and most of the girls and some of the boys were doing warm up exercises in the main gym. Before the teacher or the students who arrived early can react, a desperate Shinji crash through the door with a mob of undressed/half dressed boys in tow. 

Shinji dash right past the screaming girls and found his prize, one of the poles meant for the indoor valley ball game that was left by the wall. Grabbing on to it, He turn around and charges at the 15 or so boys that remained behind (the rest of them were smart enough to realize their state of undress is distressing their female classmates). 

As if by some psychic connection, both redheads shout a battle cry in German and join in the fight, before anyone else know it, so did rest of the girls. Hikari tried to assert her authority to regain peace, but her voice drowns under a sea of shouts as the entire class degenerates into open melee as dozens of students move to settle old scores. At least ten girls jumped the Asuka sisters. 

Amidst the maelstrom of chaos, Rei completed her stretching and begin to do push ups.   

-------

----------------

SLEELE Committee HQ 

Twelve holograms appears around Gendo Ikari as he give his usual briefing. 

SEELE 01: You tell me there is a new girl that is identical to pilot 01. 

Gendo: Yes. 

SEELE 05: Is this in the scenario?

SEELE 02: I am not sure; the Dead Sea scroll didn't mention this.

SEELE 03: (**dryly**) The Dead Sea scroll missed a lot of things. 

Gendo: There is more, her file is hacked, but we didn't manage to trace who were responsible. 

SEELE 06: A spy? 

Gendo: Of the greatest order, it would appear. It takes a great deal of effort to get through my files. Her father was my old friend, I am keenly aware he only had ONE daughter. However, it is puzzling why would any of our enemies be willing to do this, because it takes a great deal of resource to hack into our files, and there is much more damage they could do if they say, release them to the public, than trying to install this creature into NERV.   

SEELE 09: Do you think she is a clone?

Gendo: Then whoever did it must be a genius. You saw our clone, and how it is different than the original.  

Yui, my love, I am sorry, but we will be together again, I promise. 

SEELE 11: Then watch her. Do not allow her into our facilities. Put a couple Sec 2 Agents on it. Soon or later, someone have to make contact with her. 

SEELE 7: We must learn everything about her. After that or if she become uncooperative…

The unspoken phase of homicide float heavily in the air…then each of the holograms blinked out. 


	5. Darkening hours

Several concerned fans ask me to write a little bit more details about the future Shinji, well I guess I should do it…I hoped I didn't have to put it up, because now the story just a little bit less humorous…Also my little sister from the other coast mention this is not my normally writing style (chapter 1-6) so… well. Don't worry, it is still not completely "serious". 

Yes, I did find the "best laid plans" by Ryoma an inspiration. However, his serious disrespect to Kensuke is what prompts me to write a R+K pairing. I just didn't like the part about Kensuke pretending to "live in a NERV ammo storage" and desperately try to get Ayanmi.  

Disclaimer: Disclaimer has been removed due to budget cuts, if that don't tell you I got nothing worth suing, nothing will. 

Yea, I got enough funds for rants but no disclaimer, but then again, you should go look at the U.S budget policies this year, and they are suppose to be the excellence of the United States people right? 

Chapter 7: Darkening hour  

Munich, Germany, 2003

"Unfamiliar ceiling." Shinji murmured as he finally woke up from his concussion-induced nap. Blinking once, he turn his head around to find himself staring face to face with a red-haired girl holding the same teddy bear. After several long seconds as the two trade stares back and forth, Shinji decide to break the ice.

"Oh hello."

The little chibi-like Asuka smiles and wave back: "Hello to you to mister, thank you for saving me." 

_What a carefree child, _Shinji thought _and friendly too, she is so different than the one I know,_

Before he can finish can finish the thought, the little Asuka pinch him on the nose, hard. 

Well, maybe not that different. 

Biting his lips to prevent the pain from transforming into a scream, Shinji wretch his nose free from the Vise-like grip. It seems that even at a tender age Asuka has a terrible fascination with his nose, regardless is pinching, punching, or displaying feminine assets at to generate massive bleeding. 

"What did you do that for?" Shinji asks carefully, so he not to alienate the girl with a bout of rage. 

Asuka replied with her trademark killer smile: "You were staring at me, I don't like been stared at by strangers."

"Oh sorry, didn't realize." Shinji quickly apologizes, which earned him another dazzling smile from the little girl. _Oh yes boys, eat your heart out. This girl is born to kill. _"So who is your little friend?"

"Oh this is Wobby {Ok I am really bad at naming children's stuffed animals, hang me for it-Author} he is my bear." 

"Hello Wobby." Shinji said it with a perfect straight face, remembering how his father used to demean everything he did as a waste. Much to his surprise, a crystal clear image of his father popped up in his mind, for a second, Shinji was back at the EVA hangars with his father standing over him saying "you are useless, the only reason I call you here is because I want you to pilot the EVA." Summoning all his mental reserves, Shinji banish the image from his mind. 

The purge of his father's image was a little more difficult than he thought, as sweats begin to cover his forehead before the last vestige of his father's demon fade from his mind. When the fog finally clears, he found the little girl left. 

Looking around the room, for the first time, he found his tattered clothes (minus his underwear, which to his relief is still on him) on the side of a chair. A fresh suit of clothes, nicely folded, sat on the same chair. 

_I guess they want me to put that on. Oh well, cant wear my old cloths any more, it is falling apart. _

--------

Roughly ten minutes later, down stairs

Climbing down the stairs, Shinji found himself in a kitchen with Asuka's mother cooking. Her daughter nowhere in sight, Mrs. Sohryu busy making some stew while reading some obscure lab report sitting on the kitchen counter. Looking up, she sees Shinji standing in front her, wearing a simple white shirt and Grey pants. 

"You feeling ok? It is the first time someone faint when I mention my name, so I got kind of surprised and decided to carry you to my house." 

Blushing red at the image of her carrying him through a crowded street with a little toddler in tow, Shinji lower his head and said nothing, through his face certainly spoke in volumes. 

"Don't worry about it. So, why don't you tell me who you are and where you are going while I make dinner?" 

"My name is Simon Illyan," Shinji lied because he is unsure if the lady knew his father, so choose one of blandest character based on a book series he read a lot ago as a fib "And um, I don't have where to go." 

"No where? Truly?" But before Mrs. Sohryu can complete her question, a waft of acrid smell following a jet of flames burst from the pot and fill the air, coughing rapidly, she quickly run to the kitchen sink and got a glass water and pour it into the stew pot. Of course, if Mrs. Sohryu remembers her elementary physics, She should have recalled that oily flames and ice water is truly bad combination. 

IT EXPLODED! 

With reflexes trained by a year of living with Misato's cooking accidents, Shinji jump into action; and within seconds, the rebellious stew was brought under control, leaving the two with blackened faces and a bucketful of inedible goo. 

What is with pre-second Impact women and their cooking abilities? That would have been an interesting lecture to learn about in school Shinji thought, after several heartbeats, he asks: 

{The author stare at his girlfriend's baby sister's latest cooking, a horribly botched up Campbell tomato soup…then move to delete the 'post' and add the word 'pre' to the paragraph above. come to think of it, do you know the more than 75% of Asian American family have their oldest teenage boy cook for them, using lames excuses such as "You wont get an girlfriend/wife/soul mate if you cant cook."}

"Do you, umm, want me to cook?"   
  
 "Oh can you? Thank you dear, I really need sometime time to work on the new research data, the boss expect me to send the research data next week, and I barely started." 

"What research data?" But Mrs. Sohryu already wanders out the room, calculator and paper in hand. Sighing once, Shinji turned around and fasten his apron as he begin his war against the carrots…

_Well, at this she didn't leave with a Yesibu in hand. _

The sudden images of Misato's final hour and the bloody cross nearly made Shinji faint in pain. 

------

Later that evening: 

"Mommy, you didn't make this." The little Asuka quipped as she spooned away at her stew. 

"No, Simon here did, Asuka, say thank you to Simon." Mrs. Sohryu replies. 

"Thank you Simon." Asuka thank Shinji in that childish-and carefree voice of hers. For a second, their eyes met, then Simon/Shinji quickly break away. If anyone looked carefully, he or she would realize Shinji is squeezing his silverwares rather tightly. For the most of part, Mrs. Sohryu is busy reading some/correcting more notes as she continue to eat her stew. 

After several moments as the three dig away at Shinji's bounty, Mrs.Sohryu suddenly stopped and start to look at Shinji.

"Hey Shinji, didn't you say you have no where to go?"

"Yea, well I figure I will go to school later as soon as I can find a job and a place to stay."

"How bout I offer you a job? I work for…a research institution and they pay a decent salary, with my husband being…away, I really don't have enough time to take care of her, would you mind taking over that duty? And a few simple house chores, I will let you stay here and pay you a small salary." 

"Yes big brother, can you stay with us?" 

_Big brother, _Shinji liked that idea, someone who is family to him besides his soon-to-be-dead father. Wipe his hand on a napkin, he extend his left hand to meet the little girl's. "You got you self a deal."

----------------------

For the next six months life become relative normal in the Sohryu household, Shinji cooked, cleaned and play with Asuka, in essence, he became her big brother and father at same time. One evening in December, like any other evening, after Asuka take her daily bath and went to bed, Shinji promise he do read to her. Knocking on the door then waited until he heard the sound "come in", Shinji walk into the room with another reading book in hand.   

Looking at the smiling Asuka in bed, Shinji sat down and begin to read the story, The story is about a group of kids who piloted giant war machines to save their home colonies from destruction, with one particular emotionless child who fought when all hope seem lost, then saved their oppressors from certain destruction by preventing a group of radicals from crashing their spaceship on to Earth. 

"Big brother?"

"Yes Asuka?" 

"Heero was very brave was he not?"

Pausing a second, Shinji replied: "Yea, he was. He saved everyone in the end."

"I am going to be a Hero like him someday. My Mommy told me I am a very special girl, I will gets to pilot giant robot too if I train hard enough, then all the kids who like to pick on me in school will have to admire me, then everyone will like me, and daddy will come back."

The picking on by kids in school was nothing new, Shinji end up protecting the little girl from her vicious classmates almost at least three times a week, but the mention of a father caught Shinji's attention. _So she is not the only one who was abandoned by his father. _He thought. Closing books, Shinji sighed. "Ms. Langley," and then begin to stare at his younger charge's eyes. Asuka immediately caught that tone and look, which signify she said something wrong. 

"Piloting an EVA will not make your life easier, it will not make you respectable," As images of the past flashes through Shinji's mind, so blurred he could not even grasp them. With a pained smile, he banish the images and continued: "It will not make friends for you, But it may just cost you everything you loves. An EVA is a lie in my opinion, what is truly make you different than anyone else, is in there, not by what you do, but just by who you simply are. Why don't you think about that."

{The author believe in a complete reverse of the theory above, after all, the road to hell are all paved with good intentions.}

Reaching out with one hand, Shinji turns off the light by Asuka's desk, and then gets up to leave the room. 

"Big brother?" 

"Yes?" 

"When I grow up, I am going to marry you. Wobby said it is an good idea." 

Blinking once to push away the tears and regrets, Shinji only said: "Good Night little sister." Then close the door behind him…

And come face to face to an emotionless Mrs. Sohryu.

"You know about the Human Instrumentality project, and what the EVAs are really for." Her voice trembling, her eyes a blaze as her face spell out an accusation for betrayal.

Normally, such an "look" from any other adult would have send Shinji scrambling into his "I am sorry" defensive shell, but past months the haunting memories of his father and the final hours of the third Impact put a fire-forged spine into Shinji's back. Pulling a poker face that would have sent his father to his dead-bed sick with envy, Shinji stared back at her. 

"I know…some."  
  


"Who are you? Simon Illyan? That name is so fake, it is not Asian, are you some foreign spy? Out to sabotage the project? Feeding ideas to my little girl?" 

"If you are so familiar with the project, then how could you allow your _daughter _to be part of that freak show?" The extra emphasis on daughter floats heavily in the air between them.

"She was borne to pilot an EVA, that is what she meant to be."

"Is your only child nothing but an spare part to inserted in a machine?"

"How dare you, a stranger who dare to accuse me what is best for my own child? Or what the project means for humanity?"

"Did Humanity choose for it?"

"It will be the final evolution of the human race."

"No, it will be the final _extinction _of the human race."  

To Shinji's surprise, Mrs. Sohryu break down and cried: "You sound so much like my husband you know that? That idiot lost his objectives the day Asuka was born, and he paid it with his life." 

In a tone that sounded more like a statement than a question, Shinji asks: "So her father will never come back will he." 

"No, the NERV leadership made sure of that."

_Another life claimed by NERV. _Shinji could not even be sad this time. Seeing the young boy is not talking, Mrs. Sohryu continued: "Now you understand why I couldn't say anything else, if I tried to stop NERV from claiming my daughter, I will be dead and then she will end up being in there anyway, no hope, no hope."

"I see." The revelation of NERV's even darker underbelly made Shinji's blood cold to the point of crystallization, then a second later the fire of resolve come surging into him like a volcanic eruption, demanding him to see NERV in flames before all this is over. "There is hope, I will see to it that NERV will go down, one way or another."

"You can't fight NERV, it is huge with billions upon billions of dollars, and with multi-national Governments backing it up, all not knowing what is really all about. They all see what they want to see, and they ignore what is not pretty."

Recalling the days where he had just pilot EVA for his dad's praise, no his dad's lies, Shinji can only sigh: "Ignorance is a bliss, truth can be harsh sometimes, but even greatest dragons have their weak points, I will find them, and I will do whatever it take to make sure your husband and the countless others who were struck down by that insidious beast be avenged."

"Simon?"

"Yes?"

"I want you to swear for me, if you truly care about your little sister, I want you to promise you will take care of her, no matter what happens."

Placing his right hand on his breast, Shinji swears: "I promise, upon my father's grave, I will defend her and protect her for the duration of her life and mine."

_If she only knew the irony in that sentence. _

Satisfied, Mrs. Sohyru turned around to leave, but before she vanishes around the hall, she pause and asks: "So your father was killed by NERV too?"

"You can say that."

Then She left, and Shinji closed his eyes and cried.

--------

Main while, several years later  {ok this really don't make sense, but I mean main while as if it were a connecting sequence in a anime scene, ok I am shutting up now}

Time: roughly early evening (before Rei and Kensuke meeting).

All is quite in the Kagusti household as the Germany sisters watch their favorite TV show while Shinji is cooking in the kitchen, Pen-Pen, of course, is soaking away in the hot-tub, washing a way a day's worth of aches and pain from doing…absolutely nothing.  

"Asuka?" Shinji call out from the kitchen as he hanged up the phone and finish spicing up the sausages he was preparing.

"Yes Shinji?" Two voices replied him.

"No, you are Tsuka remember?"

"Oh yea, opps."  
  


"It is the smallest thing that is going to get us caught, we have to be careful."

"Are you saying something?" That is Shinji again, peeking his head out the kitchen to see if anything is wrong. 

"Nothing! Baka!" the two Asukas turned around to face Shinji, which earn a blush from him and he quickly retreat back into the protective confines of the kitchen. 

"So you were saying something?" Tsuka finally decide to ask as the commercials came up.  

"Misato is going to be late again, she said she is going to pick up some groceries." 

That earned the ire of the younger redhead as she begins to murmur something about a 30+ harlot stealing her man. Tsuka on the other hand only chuckles at the antics of her "younger" sister, until she shot her a death glare, which then prompted the older sister to beam a smile that did nothing but infuriate Asuka. 

"Are you going to say something?"

Tsuka did nothing, but instead trace her finger above her head in a circle as if to signify a halo. Cursing under her breath, the other girl turn around to concentrate on the TV. After a while, Tsuka poke Asuka in the arms and whispers into her ear: 

"You know the only thing she is going to pick up is beer." 

"Can't be, the fridge is stuffed to the grills."  

"Then you know what this means."

"No, not really."

"She is coming to interrogate me about my origins, and hoping for a surprise to knock us off balance."

  
 "I thought you took care of the matter."

"Mostly, I manage to get into NERV files and alter them, but if they check backward, that trail will end up suspicious because 'our' hospital was destroyed in the Earthquake of 2007." 

"So what are you going to do?" 

"Ok here is what we do…mumble, mumble"

Several seconds and two beers and one drunken waterfowl later, 

"Oh Shinji-kun…" Tsuka calls out. 

Shinji, without the wisdom of his elder-self, peek his head out from the kitchen in curiosity. 

"Come sit with us." 

Like a siren attracting unwary sailors, Shinji walk toward the living room in confusion, tentatively he sat down between to the grinning twins. Before he can even open his mouth to ask what is going on, he found his mouth closed with a deep kiss from Tsuka while at the same time, Asuka use the distraction to undo Shinji's pant belt.

And lo and behold… 

{No, no, not that!-Author} 

…Misato walk into the room with a silent Rei in tow, with a grim look and words forming out of her mouth with something like "Tsuka, I have something to ask…" only to have them completely swallowed back into her mouth as she watch the passionate scenes unfolding in front of her. 

"What…. What is the meaning of this?" Misato shuttered. 

Shaken with fear, Shinji stood up to explain…only to have his pants falling down and his manhood open in display to all the females in the room. Ignoring Shinji's salute from the nether regions, Misato tried to get back to…ok maybe she couldn't ignore it. Asuka can barely keep her face straight as laughters threaten to explode out of her belly, while Tsuka look thoughtfully at Shinji's magic wand but made no comment. Finally there is Rei standing there, staring and staring, a bit dangerously lower than usual. One can almost hear the atmosphere crackle as the estrogen production in the room rises to a suffocating point… 

Surprisingly, Rei is the first one to talk: "Something is burning."

Blushing furiously until his face turned purple, Shinji shouted: "My sausages!" Then start running toward the kitchen…

…Only to be tripled over by his own pants and collapsed on to the floor with a thud.

Sufficiently to say, Tsuka is not going to be the one getting interrogated tonight.

{I will mercifully cut this off now. The original version is well hidden in my hard-drive and shall never see the light of day! Some of those comments are just down brutal and it would be wrong since I found out there are actually real fan-girls for NGE out there and the jokes removed, however funny, is deeply inappropriate for the young children and ladies-author}

-----

The plot thickens in the next episode of NGE as Shinji (past) came face to face with his father for fate of a young Asuka, Kaji make his first entrance of the show, A explosion took place in a suppose secure NERV installation in Russia, and a gigging Rei walking into class telling what she saw last night??

Stay tuned for the next episode of: "NGE: Armageddon averted?"

Author's note: The Xia computer does not drive many insane because it is own personality, it is the fact when kept in passive mode, the device often mistake human intentions and replay their old memories back that people prefer to be forgotten, loop that several time a day will often generate insanity in a quick order. It is process may be slow or quick, if the person in question realize what is going on. Kind of like Asuka's mind rape but in a much slower pace. 

If anyone can guess where the name Simon Illyan come from, Email me and your name will be included in the next chapter, possibility as a character even. J


	6. Diabloic Edict!

I swear the anti-hentai group is stalking me now. On an idiot side, I wonder if it would be funny if Asukas end up back in time.and Shinji have five or seven Asukas? Naaa.probably a bad idea. On a more intelligent side, I wrote the synopsis of every chapter from now on last night, and it look like it is going to be at least 11 more chapters in order to finish it acceptably (down from the 15 chapter), I wonder if I am going to have the mental fortitude to have this finished.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not have ownership, nor I am making money off this. By reading this, you are consenting and telling me you are under 18 or 21. Because the humorousness and occasional violence will invoke uncontrollable laughter and bitter cries later that may embarrass you in front of your friends and during sexual intercourses.  
  
I hate ACCs, I will never use ACC during the course of my writings, the Kensuke Prozac thing is the only thing closest to ACC as possible. Although, I did had an idea to include for ACCs in this story, but only in the end one of them turn out to be Shinji the older, but I never wrote a mystery fic before.  
  
The follow people, in this order, discover where Simon Illyan comes from: Zachary Westman, Decebalus, Chris field, Dies K. Irae and FireAngel-Kayona (before I decided to cut this off) since non of them decide to send a character sketch with them and there is a policy above against over- powering-fic-ruining ACCs, I am forced to reduce them to secondary roles as they come along(such as colorless Section two agents). And why is memory the only book they mention? The M.V series is about 15 books long, and almost every one of them mentioned Simon Illyan.  
  
Chapter 8: Diabolic Edict  
  
-----  
  
Munich NERV Research center, Two days pass New Year of 2004  
  
Deeply buried under hundreds of shell offices and fakes warehouses, under more than three meters of concrete and steel lies the infamous research center that started the final human Instrumentality project. Standing on top of one of the many walk-ways that criss-cross like spider webs, Mrs. Sohryu direct a few men working on the giant monster that would be later known as EVA-02, for now, it is nothing more than huge lumps of flesh that needed to be seal together, with one of its arms missing and the other one connected by nothing but a nest of wires and one giant arm bone. One of the guards approach her:  
  
"Mrs. Sohryu? Chairman Keel and the Japanese branch leader both wish to see you in their office the earliest convenience." Translation: As soon as you can get out your lab coat.  
  
"Oh be right there, give me sometime to finish this." Mrs. Sohryu gesture her notebook.  
  
"Of course."  
  
A few moments later, Mrs. Sohryu knock on the door to the chairman's office.  
  
"Come in." A falsely pleasant voice came from inside. Feeling like a medieval knight standing in front of dragon's lair, Mrs. Sohryu reach out and push the door open. Like all evil-diabolical-insidious-stupid classic villains, chairman Keel's office is pitch dark, with only a single lamp illuminating his desk and his face.  
  
"Ah Mrs. Sohryu, I like to congratulate you on some good news, your daughter scored the highest in the aptitude tests, so therefore, barring any strange situation arises, I can say she is going to be next pilot for EVA-02" "Congratulations." A voice that seem to float out of nowhere, turning around in shock, Mrs. Sohryu find herself staring at a Japanese man in his thirties, previously hidden near the right wall. What is with maniacal sidekicks that must hide behind their master in the dark?  
  
"Err."  
  
"Ah forgive me Mrs. Sohryu, I studied you and your work so closely that I forget that we didn't meet before, my name is Gendo Ikari, I am the leader of NERV Japan." The figure extended a hand to her, which Mrs. Sohryu shook tentatively.  
  
"Oh hi, I remember now, I met your wife last year in the NERV annual office ball."  
  
A flash of emotion shows in Gendo's face with the mention of his dead wife, but it quickly disappeared.  
  
"Well sirs, I did plan to talk about my daughter, I um.I don't think it is a good idea for her to pilot EVAs anymore. I want her to have a normal life, so if you don't mind, I like to withdraw her from the program."  
  
Since Chairman Keel wore a pair of visors, it was impossible for her to see his emotion, after a long period of silence, he replied: "Mrs. Sohryu," Using her last name to remind her husband's tragic accident "You must understand, the project is underway already, it is difficult for the Marduk institute to find children with these.special circumstances, and it is more difficult to find children who have to right psyche to be accepted by the EVAs, I urge you to reconsider."  
  
"I am sorry Chairman, but I simply cannot allow it anymore." Before either man can react, Mrs. Sohryu pulled out a handgun from her coat pocket wave it between Ikari and Kiel.  
  
Raising his hands in a way that practically mocked the situation, Chairman Keel smiled: "Careful, we don't want any accidents, please reconsider this."  
  
"The time for diplomacy has passed, I want you to sign a document that guarantee my daughter shall never be part of your hideous project, then we will leave and never come back, I promise I would never reveal any more NERV secrets in the process."  
  
Without dropping the smile, chairman Keel replied: "Well, it is certainly a generous offer, you are correct, the time for diplomacy has passed. You know Kyoko, your husband's final hour was amusing, trapped in that entry plug, with not LCL but hydrocholoric acid flooding up the entry plug."  
  
A single gunshot rang out in the room.  
  
And Mrs. Sohryu collapsed on the ground like a rag doll. From the shadows, an oriental man with a ponytail appeared, dressed in black with a dart launcher in hand.  
  
"Very nicely done." Gendo commented, "Consider your security clearance up by another level."  
  
"What am I now? Six?" Kaji replied.  
  
"Five," Chairman Keel cut in: "For a college brat, you are already proven to be quite useful to us, monitoring the only surviving daughter of Dr. Katsuragi and the head programmer of Magi, what was her name again?"  
  
"Naoko." Gendo supplied, without emotion any kind.  
  
"Ah yes.but that is off topic for the moment, for now.hemm.just dispose her."  
  
"How?" with a frown and the briefest pauses, Kaji stare right into Chairman Keel's glowing visor, then looked away and added: "I understand, should I put her out of her misery first?"  
  
"No, let her die one with her creation, however, I find it interesting that somehow she decided to change her mind. As I recall, she was one of our more zealous proponents of the project even after her husband's.abrupt resignation."  
  
Pressing a button on his desk, Chair Keel open a communication link to one of the offices that located hundreds of meters above their head.  
  
"Zachary?"  
  
"Yes sir?" the Section Two Security chief for Munich branch replied from the other end.  
  
"Do you have any idea who might influenced our chief scientist to the point of.disloyalty?" Keel asked.  
  
"Yes, sir, I send a memo about it almost three weeks earlier. I believe the waif Mrs. Sohryu taken with her six months earlier was responsible for her change of altitude, I had a conversation of extreme subversive nature taped recently and sent to the committee for actions."  
  
"Oh? I must have missed it."  
  
"I will send up another copy it now."  
  
Within seconds, the terminal in front of trio blinked to life, and played out the conversation Shinji (Simon) had with Mrs. Sohryu few days ago. By the end of the Conversation, Keel was incensed, Gendo watched with his usual lack of emotion, and Kaji made a soft whistle in appreciation.  
  
"This is most.unexpected." Gendo finally commented.  
  
"We must take action. Kaji!" Chairman Keel orders.  
  
"Yes sir?" Kaji answered tentatively.  
  
"I want you personally go down there, catch that brat, ALIVE, then bring him back for my personal.debriefing, alright, dismissed.you know what to do with her."  
  
{Author's note: Have u ever notice villains besides the DC trash all never say "Kill" or "torture" when issuing orders to their henchmen?}  
  
As the two Japanese clear the room with the unconscious body in tow, chairman Keel places his against his right breast, and felt the warm red liquid gashing out from the hole where Asuka's mother shot him.  
  
------- Sometime late that evening  
  
"As the war bog down in Iraq with Saddam Hussein resorting to Guerilla attacks at the American occupation forces, the chancellor." the TV reporter blabbing about some squabble between some countries in the Middle East, Shinji is busy cooking up another meal while watching over the little toddler next to him.  
  
{Sorry, I couldn't resist that-Author}  
  
"Asuka, I told you not to glomp my leg while I am cooking, the kitchen is dangerous place for a little girl." Shinji said to the girl under him.  
  
"Dangerous when mommy is around. Not dangerous when big brother is around." The little Asuka smiles and glomps Shinji's leg again.  
  
"Don't you have homework to do, young lady?" "Nope, all done." The little Asuka rewards Shinji with her chibi-smile, but backed off from his leg as he Shinji placed the pie he was pinching into the stove. As he finished doing this, the doorbell rang.  
  
Mrs. Sohryu must forgotten her keys again.  
Since they lived in an upper class neighborhood, Shinji didn't usually think about things like crime, so without a second thought, Shinji moved to open the door. He would regret that one act for the rest of his life.  
  
Stood by the door way was a man and two women dressed in black tuxedos and highly "Inconspicuous" trench coats and eye glasses. Shinji had to unleash every iota of his self-control to prevent himself from crying out in fear.  
  
"Ah, what.are.can I do for you folks?" was all Shinji could stutter.  
  
"Die." The man answered. Then all three pulled out guns and fired.and fired.  
  
When the young Asuka walks into the lobby after hearing the gun shots.she could do nothing but scream and cry as she found her beloved big brother curled in a fetal position amidst a pool of red.  
  
-----  
  
20 minutes later  
  
As Kaji and Gendo, escorted by half a dozen NERV agents arrive at the scene, they found the poor Asuka sitting and crying with her big brother in her arms. Wasting no time, Kaji run across the room with his gun drawn, comforting the poor girl while scanning for enemies he know that is going to be there. Reaching out one hand pretending to check for a pulse, he carefully removes the small dart on Shinji's neck and hid it in his shirt pocket.  
  
"Call the morgue, there isn't anything we can do now." Kaji comments as his two escorts make the phone call.  
  
Asuka, hearing how her big brother is beyond any help, screams and cries with a fresh bout of misery, until she finally became to tired and fell asleep. Looking up, Kaji found Gendo staring at him and the little girl.  
  
"This.is most unexpected." Gendo finally spoke.  
  
Raising his eyes until they met with the NERV directors, Kaji replied: "It look like we have some other enemies, unless we have unexpected allies."  
  
"Indeed." For a second, Kaji thought his deception was through. Then he realized Gendo had turned around and already staring away.  
  
"This could be an unexpected boon through."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"The girl has just lost her mother and it looked like she had some concern for this.spy, when she wakes up, if we present the evidence correctly, we can make her think that our enemies were responsible for this.double tragedy, and with a few words of persuasion, we can make it to appear that in order to avenge her love ones, she must pilot the EVA."  
  
Kaji, blinking twice: "Isn't that a bit harsh, she just lost everything she loves, and you are going to tell her.that her mother is dead?"  
  
"The ultimate Scenario is what at stake, like Mrs. Sohryu said, she is just put a part in it, and.do you really prefer to tell her the truth?"  
  
Pausing for a moment, the Kaji replied: "No."  
  
------------ In the future, two days later  
  
It is another school day for the children in Japan, but unlike every other day, Shinji came to school alone without the devils in tow. And with a black eye and several bruises. Shinji wave at his fellow traumatized stooges, who were also in various state of upheaval (although some what less as their wounds healed a bit since then).  
  
"So what happen to you? Rough night with the queens of pain?" Toji quipped in curiosity, then ducked smartly as Hikari reach out to grab his ear.  
  
"You can say that again." Shinji, in his dejected mode, stare at his desk in gloom.  
  
"No seriously, what happened?" Kensuke ask in curiosity. Without his precious daily Prozac, the Otaku became rather.stable lately than going off into bouts of depression, twirling a pencil in his hand, Kensuke use his good eye (the other one is still under wrap) and give the third child an inquisitive glare.  
  
"Hikari, let me ask you something personal." Shinji turned around to ask the class Rep.  
  
"Oh, what is it?" Hikari, frustrated at her inability to grab the jock, turned around and join the look-at-the-third-child contest.  
  
"Is it true that in a environment predominantly female, that all the women set their.um..how did Misato put it.clocks to go off in the same time?" "You mean their periods? Yea of course, my sisters and mine went off last week, boy it was hectic."  
  
"No wonder you threatened to tear my left ear off that time." Toji cut in. In response, like all women accused of biological weakness, Hikari raise her left hand.and decked Toji with a hard left that send the jock flying off his chair.and into the ground hard. Smiling pleasantly, Hikari went back to Shinji and ask why.then the revelation hit her like a hammer. Looking at the aghast Kensuke, Hikari assume he realize what it meant as well.  
  
"Oooh yea." Shinji answered.  
  
Hating herself for being nosy, Hikari ask: "So how bad was it?"  
  
"Well first I got kicked off my futon by both girls."  
  
Kensuke and Hikari nods, from the stories they heard before it is not a big surprise.  
  
"Kicked there."  
  
Not catching the male drift, Hikari asks: "Where?"  
  
"There." Shinji points below the belt area.  
  
"oooooo" were his two companions' reply.  
  
"And then there was breakfast, and Tsuka demand me to cook Pen^2 because I forgot to buy beacon last night, the next thing u know, Misato came in furious about our recent report cards, then Asuka shout something like 'whore man stealer' or along that line and threw the breakfast gruel I made at her, before I knew it, Misato got her gun out and shot a hole on the wall, thank god she was low on ammo. Then the two Asukas took defensive positions around the fridge and start flings beer (fully loaded) cans at her, of course, guess who is the lucky fellow that tried to clear things up and end up getting brained?"  
  
Using a tone resembling Kenshin from R.K, Kensuke replied: "Oro."  
  
".and the last thing I heard before I dash out that place is Misato threatening to order Unit-03 be painted pink unless the Asuka and Tsuka go to class."  
  
Kensuke and Toji, their eyes widen with fear, quickly (the other one got up) ran back to their desks and start grabbing everything on their desk and tossing them into their bags.  
  
"Where are you going, you can't cut class!" Hikari shouted, in her best class rep voice.  
  
Sealing his bag, Toji replied: "Yes I can and you cannot stop me, if you think I am going to be around when the devils shows up, you are wrong." "And plus," Kensuke adds as he starting running to the door, "it is self D- " He never got a chance to finish his sentence, as he slam right into someone coming through the door. Before he can react, the other figure gives Kensuke a French kiss in the mouth. As two forms tumbled on to the floor, with, as Shinji and the rest of the class blink in surprise, Rei on top??  
  
"Well.I guess that didn't taste too bad." Rei commented as she finally broke off the kiss.  
  
"Ah hi Ayanami," Kensuke replied as he bite back a scream of pain threatening from the pressure generated by Rei's female asserts pushing into his still-broken arm. "About that Prozac bottle I was showing you last night."  
  
"Oh yes," smiling as she got stand back up, dressed in a skin-tight school uniform with a skirt that cut a little bit higher (about three inches) than the school requirements {Fan service!-author} Rei look down on her friend "It had to most interesting aftertaste, you know, I start to experiencing all kind of interesting sensations and memories afterwards, did you know the commander always came first while in bed with Shinji's mom? Or Shinji wetting his bed at age 4? Ah well, these silly memories that were not mine."  
  
Staring right past the lenses of the shocked Otaku, Rei whisper into Kensuke's ear: "Now about that promise to teach me."  
  
Before she can say another word, the whole class broke out cheering as the male body welcomes Kensuke to his "score-hood."  
  
----- Two figures, both wore gold-rimmed glasses with red lenses, one fuming with a grinning sub-commander Fuyutsuki standing beside him, the other smiled sadistically with an equally jovial Kaji standing over him.  
  
All four men were watching the Camera feed of class A-2, and as the scene unfold, Gendo became more and more angry as his past secrets being blurted out by a happy Ayanami. Finally he lost his temper and slammed his fist on the desk, blushing furiously and said: "This is NOT according to the scenario!"  
  
While six miles away, the other man turned around to Kaji, smiling happily, "This is EXACTLY according to the scenario."  
  
------- Ah.another chapter done, it seem for every sad part I generate, I get several equally sadistic ideas.like what happen if Kaji and his associate decide to free the tanks full of Ayanami and give all of them a nice dose of Prozac? (So Gendo could not have the current defective Ayanami removed) The convert war against NERV might just take a comically turn.  
  
Thank Kayrona and the slayer-watch (my god sent pre-reader and anime provider) for providing me the idea for the Asuka PMS story, come to think it, the idea for sync periods can easily go right into other "magical girlfriend fics"  
  
Like "Love Hina"-and watch the whole dorm explode  
  
Or "Oh my Goddess" Skuld having her first time.  
  
Or "Tenchi Muyo"  
  
Or "sister Princess" 12 sisters and one guy.  
  
Or *shudder "sailor moon"  
  
I guess after this fic I would have all kind of interesting things to write about. 


	7. Blank chapter 2

According to a friend of mine, by removing several chapters at once from FF.net may create a bug for reviews and sometime take the fic offline completely. So I made this fill-in chapter until I can get something in place of it. 

Please hit "next" and go to the next chapter. Thank you and have good day. 


	8. sowing the chaos

The long awaited update…

It another rough day at NERV, and a tired Misato walked to open the door to her apartment. It is nearly midnight and all….is blasting rock music? That surprised the Major, knowing the nature of the room's other occupants. Shinji would never do this, Asuka never listen to rock, and Pen^2 is not the type of waterfowl. As she carefully key her lock while unbuckling her hoister, the major carefully open the door.

What she saw before her was utterly bizarre, in a scene almost surreal, Misato found the third child trapped between two naked Asukas (no one of them is Tsuka, she mentally correct herself), who were busy stripping the poor boy the last articles of his clothes.   
  
In the other corner, a shocked Kensuke is pinned to floor by a very happy-and-smiling Rei, who is busy removing her clothes and _his. _ All Misato can hear under the roar of music is the whimpering Otaku saying: "Ayanmi…aren't we going a little too fast?" 

(Shinji could not talk since he got himself a mouthful…of Asuka, and a handful Tsuka, and a toothpick-ful…)

And in the center of the room, in various stage of dress…well more like in various stage of undress, lies no less than ten identical blue-haired Reis exploring their own sexuality, and all over the room the smell of Yeshibu and other odors that accompany such carnal activity ran heavily in the air. And judging by the official-sounding wails threatening detention or better efforts, someone is clearly having fun with the class Rep Hikari in the kitchen. 

Like all military women, the first thing they do in a situation that might threaten the to end their career is shooting the lead male who (she thinks) is responsible. In this case would be the Kaji (who is dressed like a pimp of course, with a suit and a skull cap to match) lounging on the sofa with a Chinese Ming-Dynasty pipe in hand and smiling mischievously at her. 

The gun went…click. NERV denied her replacement ammo citing their lack of faith in their proper use. Sighing hopelessly, Misato said: "Well if you can't kill them, join them, well just get off before the cops comes…" And start undoing her blouse with the help of two of the Reis…

BAM! SLING! CRASH! BOOM! MEEP!

(Sounds of struggle occur, following by the sound of a sword being drawn and whistle through the air as it struck pompous flesh of the righteous, then drowned by chants against blasphemes, following the light of several holy objects being drawn, automated gun fire and then heavy sound of construction took place)

We apologize for this interruption; we are the society for free sexual-innuendo in entertainment. We believe the content of this Fan-fic is highly inappropriate for children or adults of any age. Therefore, we decided, with helps from the Southern Evangelical society (who helped remove several violent and un-family shows from TV), we will educate the author in the ways of proper etiquette so his Fan-fiction will be spiritually clean and rewarding like critic acclaimed shows like Full house and 7th Heaven. And yes, we are also associated with organizations such the Committee for the Un-American Activities, and the conservative war hawks of the GOP wing.   

Good (as in pompous) Looking-bible wielding man: Join the light side ma brother, for I see the word salvation written on your head if blazed on by fire…

Author: Kill me now….     NOOOOO!!!! NOT THE SAILOR MOON EPISODES!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion, Gainax does, must resist mind control

Good looking-bible wielding man: It looks we need to fight the demon with special power, boys, bring in the Oh! My goddess episodes.

Author: Hmmm…naked Peorths.  

----

Chapter 10: Chaos and Anarchy 

An apartment complex somewhere in Northern Tokyo-3

"That…was interesting." Kaji commented as the screen between the two men fade into black, darkening the apartment they were in considerably. 

"An most unexpected boon, don't you think?" The figure in shadow answered, raising his glasses up his a little bit more. 

"Indeed, may I?" Kaji points to the Fridge in the corner with his thumb. 

"Be my guest." His companion replied. And Kaji withdraw two long bottle of Yeshibu from the Fridge, handing one to his partner, then pop one open for himself.

Leaving his own bottle on the desk unopened, the shadowy figure stared at Kaji and asked: " For now…the Rei problem is solved."

"Indeed, confusion to NERV." Kaji salute the other man with his bottle, and drank deeply. "But you realize that Gendo will simply have her replaced. You showed me the tank full of Reis last time…it would be a simple matter for them to active another one and kill this…promising copy." 

"That could be indeed a problem, while I detest us wasting time on this side issue, it is necessary to see that this Rei survives. The clock is counting down as we speak, in order for our scenario to be completed on time, we must make sure she develops sufficient personality in time to see how great this world is and how unnecessary the Third Impact is. So therefore…" Turning around, the man in the shadows tap a command into his laptop. 

"Ms. Kayona? I have a job for you." 

That sentence sent Kaji into a cough fit, as it brought back memories from ten years ago…

-----

NERV Security facility, Munich 2004

As Kaji finish dumping Mrs. Sohryu's body into the entry tube for her final "sync test", the turn around to see Gendo walk off to speak to a little albino girl on the deck below. With no one else around noticing, Kaji reach into his coat and pressed a button to active the hidden microphone concealed there. 

"Ms. Kayona? I have a job for you."

From the other end, a cheerful voice can be heard: "Sure boss, what you got in mind?"      

"There is this boy…" 

"My goodness boss, you sound like my sister sometimes, I didn't know you are in to that kind of stuff, could get seven to ten…"

"Shut up. Now listen carefully, there is this boy I want to save, his name is Simon Illyan, and Keel wants him killed because he knows something…I do not know how the boy knows, but his continued existence on this side of the mortal coil is vital to our interests, so I want to ask you to do an Operation 104 on him. Can you arrange it?" 

A pause followed as the voice on the other side considering, and Kaji can almost hear the gears, no the silicon chips in her head, grinding a new plan together.  

"When?"

"Right after sun down, before the spooks start moving, now here is the address…"   
  


-------  
  


10 years later

"Understood boss, so seven girls, from the NERV HQ in extreme high level security, feed them all a bit Prozac to dissolve their nerve suppression drugs, use Gendo's private Achieves to replicate memories for all of them, dodge the inevitable NERV security team…would you like fries and drinks with that too?"

Without missing a beat Simon replied: "Yes, be a dear and pick up a order from the local fast food place on your way back would you? 

Several seconds elapses…

"That was a joke."

"And this is a order, now get to work." Without another thought, the shadowy figure shut off the Com-link. "It's better to cut off argument before they form, don't ya think?" 

Kaji nodded, then ask: "So um, Gerald, what do you plan with the lovely ladies after you get with them? Open a brothel?" 

"ugh." Both men reel at the horrible image of a bunch of naked Reis running around. 

  
 "Tell you what, I will think of something, meanwhile, let's finish our plan for NERV Russia, did the Russian Premier agree to stage that 'accidental' weapon testing in the Siberia base?" 

-------

 Present day

The second day of the Katsuragi household females' collective PMS…

And everything is in disarray, Pen^2 barricaded itself in the fridge and refuse to come out, Asuka clawed away at the walls, while Tsuka bitched endlessly with Misato, and poor Shinji tried to get away from it all, only to have himself dragged and pressed into cooking duty, with one of the red heads watching over him with a whip in hand.   

As Shinji prepared another of those horrible tasting meal that the girls eager to dig in, he heard another argument from the kitchen:

"So what do you mean I can't go on the school trip?" One of the red head screamed. 

"It is the way things are! Somebody have to stay behind in case if a angel attack occurs, and plus, _Shinji _is staying behind and NOT complaining." 

_Oh Urd, here we go. _Shinji thought. 

And two Asukas bursting from the kitchen, with empty (or half full) beer cans flying behind them. But much to his surprise the two girls dashed into their room instead. 

_Not a good idea to follow. _

-----

After the two were alone, Asuka turned around to stare at her adopt sister: "OK, here is what we are going to do. For the next two weeks, we are switching personalities!"  
  
Tsuka blinked, twice.

"You are going to be me, and I am going to be you, so you go pilot my EVA and I am going on that school trip." 

"No way, doing that once is horrible enough, and I don't want end up in that class-D suit again." 

"Too bad, huh, what is a class-D suit?" 

Tsuka explain it at length, and include the incident where she nearly became a volcano god's sacrifice. 

"Oh I see, so I guess twice it would be easy for you, and plus, you OWE me, if you tick me off, I might just blurt out your true origins." 

Despite the fact Tsuka is well aware the little chip in her head is feeding false data and cold trail to the collective NERV security forces, that threat never the less made her pause. The PMS also helped too. 

"You wouldn't." 

"I would, if it would get me some relaxation time AND get Kaji NOT seeing me in something THAT silly." 

With a screech of frustration, Tsuka burst out the room in fury, and slam into Shinji who was outside in the hallway gathering up Misato's discarded clothing to put into laundry, as a stunned Tsuka remove the assorted female paraphernalia from her clothes, she send a seething glare into her male companion on the floor (of course whining in pain). 

"That's it! Third BOY," Whipping out a whip from her back, "I AM SOOO going to make you beg for it before this is over!" 

"Oh Dear Belldandy…" was all Shinji could say as the leather weapon decent on him with devastating force….And Misato is still drinking.  
 

-------__

Later that day, NERV HQ Japan 

Looking outside to the window, Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki said to his lone companion: "So what do we do with her now?" No point of mentioning who, Gendo already smashed his computer after Rei start telling bedroom stories to a bunch of 9th graders. 

"Replace her, as soon as the Sec 2 find out where she went. Once they get her, hold her for containment until we get back from our trip." Pressing a key to the intercom, Gendo speak into it: "Major Katsuragi!" 

A nervous and slightly drunk (but bitchy) voice came from the other side: "Yes sirrr?" 

"Never mind." Gendo quickly terminate the link and press a new one. "Dr. Akagi, you are in charge until I get back, follow Major Katsuragi's orders should anything come up…through I do not suggest you follow her more…creative initiatives through." 

"Yes sir, I understand." After he shut off the Terminal, Gendo turned around, "Ok, lets go." 

 --------

Main while 

Mustering every once of self-control, Kensuke stare up to the sun-glasses-and trench coat Section 2 agent in front his door. Signing once, Kensuke begin to wonder if all NERV agents are so incompetent as him. 

"No sir…"

"Call me Chris, Chris Fields. With an S in the end."

"No Chris, I have not seen an albino girl named Rei Ayanami around here."

"Isn't she in your class? And kissed you today?"   
  
 "Well, um yea, I guess, but she said she is busy after school?"

"Oh, did you know where she went? 

"No sir, now if u excuse me, I have to go."

"Oh alright, I will see you then." 

As Kensuke lock the door and remove the hidden bug so carefully hidden under the carpet by the NERV agent, and the one in the flower pot, and the one in the Umbrella stand, the Otaku begin to wonder what made the quality of spies go down so bad. It would appear all those "cool" spies he read in the history books and novels, Like Miles Voksagian or Bendict Arnold are all gone. 

But his thoughts were interrupted by a smiling Ayanmi walking out his shower room with nothing but a bathrobe on. Gulping audibly, Kensuke asks: "So um, had a nice bath?"   
  
_Tell me that Prozac is wearing off soon! TELL ME the Prozac is wearing off soon! I want the little blue-Nazi back, really, seriously oh geez, this is not what I prayed for when I said I wanted a girlfriend. Yikes what is that evil glint in her eyes? _Kensuke thought. 

"I am bored, Kensuke, I think I want to play one of your games." Ayanami flashed one of her…wait Ayanamis don't have a trademark smile. {My bad-author}  
  


"It wouldn't be Monopoly right?" 

Rei give him a particular look as if saying 'are you insane', then replied: "Noo, I want to play RISK." Then grab the boy and drag him upstairs to his bedroom. If anyone was listening, the Otaku utter one word: "Mara!" then the bedroom door slammed shut. 

-------- 

{You may say this below violate my self-insert/ACC policy, but I really cannot use any of the original characters for this part-author}

Late that evening

With the aura of a woman who owns the place, Kayona march into the Clone Containment Center dressed in a white lab coat, with a fake blonde wig over her head and a suitcase in her hand. If anyone gave a passing glance, they would mistake her for Ritsuko working late, just the image Kayona wanted to project. 

Reaching into her lab coat and removing an access card, she slid it through the armored door. Inside, stood seven cylinders containers, each filled up with LCL and one blank eyed girl. 

_Poor things. _Kayona thought, _it must be rough to know they would exploit you even after you are dead. _

Sliding the fake ID card through one of the Com terminals, Kayona begin a rapid-fire series of command into the controls. While she is no Ritsuko, she does have extensive experience in hacking. And she has Gendo's codes. Without seconds the entire system fell under her control. 

And she quickly begin to order the machines to replicate memories for all seven girls, then almost as an afterthought, she order the computer to imprint a memory of all seven of them remembering her as their guardian, and themselves as sisters. 

_Emotional attachments always come in handy. _Kayona thought. 

"Ok, who are you?" 

Suddenly three new bodies showed up in the lab, Ritsuko and two NERV security guards. Both men had their guns at ease position, once Ritsuko enter the lab, the two men waited at the door. 

_It would take them 3-5 seconds to bring their guns to bear, that is two seconds slow. _Kayona secretly smiled. Then she stared right into Rituko's eyes, with her 5'6" height and a lab coat covering her body, she nearly mimic the older woman except the other had blue, not green eyes.

Without even blinking Kayona replied: "I am from NERV HQ, I am here to take the girls into custody for studies in the Munich HQ." 

"I know no such order," narrowing her eyes, Ritsuko countered: " And I am in charge here, the Commander would brief me in a situation if it arises."

_Rule#1 in spying- when caught with a problem you cannot answer; supply a variable for the enemy for he or she to define. _

"Um, is that the really old guy, you know, from the committee?" 

"Chairman Keel? Why? I don't get this? Why would he do this?" Murmuring to her self and a worried line appear on her face. 

Seeing her opponent broke in cold sweat, Kayona press ahead: "I was not told of any particulars, ma'am, his order was 'bring back the first child clones for reconstruction'."

"Oh all right, hmm…maybe this time Gendo can't play with his dolls anymore and realize who is the best." Ritsuko murmured under her breath, but not realizing the other woman can hear it clear as a bell. 

"Very well, give me your password for exit."

Rule #2 in spying, in the event of need for quick data, simply make a scene and grab as much sympathy as possible while looking for what you need. 

With that, Kayona double over in a storm of coughs, while press the wrist-Com for a list of passwords. 

"Jeez girl, you shouldn't be here, you should be at home in bed, just give me the code and go." 

Looking up with her hand still in her mouth, Kayona replied: " _3902-07-Alaph-Hope._" 

"You idiot, there is no code! I knew this was too good to be true. I don't know…"  
  


Rule #3 in spying- if everything goes SNFU, grab a hostage and shoot everything that moves. And she proceed to do that. With one arm she grab the blonde woman and another she withdraw a gun from her hand. With a speed trained from hours of SEAL training back home, she shot the first guards right between the eyes. The second guard brought his MPK-15 to bear and snapped off two rounds, one struck one of the control panels, while another crack the glass screen for one of the Rei-containers. 

{MPK-5 is currently one of the best submachine guns around, so I figure by 2015 they should have a better model then…it will take more than the second impact to stop the American gun industry-author}    

Kayona's return fire was a little bit more accurate, and the guard collapsed on to the ground…with eyes bleeding pools of blood. 

"You, you…" was all the Magi scientist can utter as she watch the guards go down, smiling evilly, Kayona let her go… 

_Rule #4 in spying: It always pays to leave a source of confusion behind. _   

…And proceed to kiss Ritsuko full in the lips, right before the secret agent pistol-whipped her.   

"Yuck, I hate kissing women," noticing Ritsuko's hair was looking a little different, Kayona kick the fallen girl's head once, and the wig slipped off. "OH come on…at least I was decent enough to DYE my hair…jeez." 

As the last Rei cleared the containers, Kayona turned around and threw the suitcase she had carried with her at the girls, inside contained seven school uniforms and some sidearms. 

"Come on girls, we got go, dress up and follow me."

"Yes mother." All seven replied and proceed to dress themselves. 

Raising an eyebrow, Kayona thought: _Oh yea, this year's family reunion is going to be interesting; Yes dad, although you did see me for a year, I was pregnant and had seven kids, they are so polite aren't they? Their names and who is the father? Well…_

Another chapter done, Not sure if I am continuing, too much school work, after school job and there is that girl I am really interested in…writing…girls…writing…girls…such a hard choice…


	9. Lava storm mountain II

Wow! 10 chapters and rolling, everything snowballing downhill non-stop, I feel so cool now (^-^)

AN: I am writing a battle fic because it is the first time I wrote Mecha battles since the days of Gundam Wing and Battle-Tech. So I like to see if I still can do it. So please send me your opinion on should I include every EVA battle from now on or just skip it (like I did for the seventh). 

The lack of reply will result in your house being "accidentally" destroyed by EVA-02 during the next angel attack J . 

Disclaimer: (cleaning the sword off the clothes of various dead bible thumpers) You know who made NGE, you know I don't own anything, and you should know why I am writing this. {Flash the sword so it reflect the moonlight} Any questions?? 

__

"I am Doji Trume, in the light of my grandfather's friendship with the Hidas, I will allow you to withdraw."

"I am Hida Trsuaka, Give your grandfather my greetings."

-Legend of Five Rings 

------

Chapter ten: Lava storm mountains II 

2014, Munich city Morgue

One of the fundamental rules of spying is that one should never draw attention while moving. So Kaji did exactly that as he lurched drunkenly toward the city morgue with a long bottle of liquor in hand, singing off-keyed German drinking songs in the process. By the time he arrived, it was nearly midnight. Looking up, he saw the gothic arches of the City Morgue. It is twisted architecture would have one mistake it for a church, if not for the bright letters that spell out "City Morgue" in bold red. 

Looking around to see that no one is watching, Kaji turned around and dump the dirty trench coat and liquor into a near by trash bin.

"Stupid Germans can't make their beer right." Kaji murmured under his breath as turn around and dashed into one of the building's side doors. 

{The author actually believe in reverse of the statement above, in fact, majority of this fic is written when the writer is heavily intoxicated drinking either German whiskey or Russian Vodka, strange enough, if I drink but not writing, I get violently sick or begin to giggle uncontrollably, as demonstrated in last year's frat party -_-;;} 

As he enter the cold storage, he heard a couple late night morticians joking about their work, one of them being Ms. Kayona's:

"NERV security team leader: 'We cannot let the suspect get away, cover all the exits.'

NERV soldier: 'sir, he got away.'

NERV STL: "I thought I told you to cover ALL the exits.

NERV soldier: 'yes sir! But he left in one of the _entrances._"

{If you do not find that quite funny, then Sub your country's military Intelligence agency into that equation, e.g. CIA, M-15, CISF…etc-author}

The joke drew laughter from the two other men in the room, just as Kaji open the door and shouted: "Attention!" 

Within under a fraction of a second, Ms. Kayona sprang around and ducked under the desk and pulled out a pair of D-Eagle aiming at the offending source, then can only grin sheepishly as she find the unauthorized intruder to be her boss. Looking around, she found her companions all grinning like loons, which only made her a shade redder than usual. 

Getting the reaction he wanted, Kaji smiled and said: "At ease. So did we have our quarry?"

"Yes sir, our prize is safe and sound." Kayona replied. Without another word, the brunette unzips the body bag that was on top of the coroner's table, inside contained a unconscious Shinji Ikari. 

"Would you like to examine our work SIR?" Kayona motioned her hands like a game show host. 

"I saw the results up and close, AND I had to hid the dart you hit him with, I swear, you Americans are getting sloppier everyday."

Blushing furiously, the brunette bow her head in shame…for about five seconds. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a syringe from her pocket. Unzipping the plastic cap off, it made a hissing sound and squirt a small amount of bluish liquid into the air. With a nod from Kaji, Kayona administered the anti-drug. 

With in seconds, Shinji groaned and raise his hands to rub his eyes…then he realized he was not alone. Looking around, he saw an Oriental man in his 20s, surrounded by three other people he did not recognize.

"What the? Is this NERV?" Shinji sputtered, then he realize the Asian looked quite familiar, but he could not place him. Then suddenly his right eye flared in red and data start scrolling through as the computer trace the image and give it a "10 years of change" scan. 

"Greetings, my name is Cyc…"

"Your name is Kaji." Shinji replied without even looking. When he finally looks up, he found Kaji's face ashen, Kayona whistle in appreciation while the other two men just looked stunned. 

Recovering his momentum, Kaji said: "Impressive, I knew saving you from Gendo and his attack squad was worth it." _Well, technically Keel wanted you alive, but by implying Gendo, a mid-to-high ranking leader of NERV, tried to kill and not Keel, it would give me an easy focus, my job is in Japan, not Germany. _Kaji thought.

Blinking twice, Shinji replied: " So he finally did it huh?"   
  
Raising an eyebrow and hoping to elicit more information, Kaji pushed in his bluff: "Yes, I am afraid he have been pinning for this for months, I tried to distract him from making a kill count on a 14 years old, but…"

"What would I know that would bring the most criminal organization on the planet on my neck?" Shinji replied and cut him off. 

After a long pause, Kaji said: "Yes."

__

It is obvious that Kaji seeks the truth about NERV, he care very little about who I am or what my interests are, but for now, our roads and goals are the same. Shinji thought, taking a deep breath, he said: "I know…I know…"_There is no turning back, it is the time to cross the Ruburion…should I take the risk and march on Rome? _

{Cross the Ruburion is an old term, it dated when the Roman General Julius Caesar matched up Rome, and the senate orders him to disarm and disband his army-if he cross the Ruburion he is deemed a traitor, so the term CTR means "the point of no return"-author) 

__

Indeed. 

Smiling wolfishly, Shinji continued :"I know everything about NERV, how it is planning to start the impact, and lay waste to humanity in the process, I will offer you everything I know, including every code inside NERV and SEELE that would allow you gain blanket access to their networks, but in exchange, I want two things."

With eyes glowing with diabolic glints, Kaji replied and asks: "and they are?"

"First, IF what I show you proves everything, you would work with me to dismantle and destroy this…institution."

"It would be difficult even If what you are saying is true, because NERV is too strong to attack politically alone by one nation."

"Then WE will do it covertly, as long as the Japanese Government provide us with some material support."

Kaji and his team's eyes raise in alarm: "How did…never mind." 

"The second is, judging by the fact you guys were just ahead of my…Commander Gendo Ikari's goons, I do say a good chance my second adopted mother is now on her way to heaven." 

When Kaji nodded in acknowledgement, Shinji replied: " My stepsister just lost her mother, and since she is in NERV's clutches, it would be hard for me to get to her. Since you can go near her as part of your work, I need you to watch over her, she need someone, anyone to cling onto at this point. I want you to take care of her." 

"You have my words on it, do you want me to tell her you are alive?"

"No, it is better I remain dead…it would simply confuse her now and blow my cover." Shinji replied. 

"That is it?" Kaji asks.

"That is it." 

"Very well, hemm…Simon isn't it?" Kaji extend his hand to the 15 years old boy.

"Simon is dead, my name is…Gerald Ion Rush now." Raising his hand to shake Kaji's, "I believe this is the beginning of an beautiful friendship."  
  
Smiling broadly, Kaji replied: "Indeed, welcome to the alliance." 

------------

The Volcano where Sandalphon was found last time. 

Time: 11:45AM , 7 Hours since the Reis were rescued 

__

[For those who did not read last chapter, Tsuka is the name Asuka from the future has taken. The real Asuka of this is age is currently on the school trip due to something happened in the last chapter-Author]

From the speakers, Tsuka can hear the radio exchange between Major Katsuragi and doctor Akagi, the blonde woman had a bandage over her head last time when she saw her and was blabbering about some cross-dressing-lesbian broke into the NERV HQ, but she was not being specific about it and Misato is having a field day over the situation. Several Techs in the background was warning her about danger zones and heat limitations, but Tsuka simply sighed as she continue to descent into a bowel of the Earth with a big capturing cage in hand. 

__

I know what is going to happen, Sandalphon is going to pop out his egg and attack me, and I dose him with coolant so he explodes. Simple. If only I was in Okinawa right now diving instead. If only... 

"545 feet, hold on, I am getting a reading, it is blue! And it is moving up fast" One of the Techs screamed out from the radio.

"What? That is not what is suppose to happen!" Tsuka shouts despite herself, thankfully, amidst the chaos no one in the command center noticed. 

"Asuka! Pull out of there right now! You don't know what that thing is capable of! Fighting an angel in a volcano is no joke!" 

Before she can say another word, an impossibly large maw swam upwards toward Eva-02. Without a second thought, Tsuka dump the cage over it and draw her Progressive blade for battle. 

It took the angel less than ten seconds to rip the cage into shreds. Using the opportunity, Tsuka override the manual safety controls and order the EVA to dump its coolant just as the angel open its mouth. 

__

Fatal Error. Command not accepted. 

The word "fatal" would been comical under other circumstances, but in this situation it spell almost certain death. Knowing it would do nothing, Tsuka swing the blade against the beast's molten hide, but like water, the lava-beast's flesh give away, but quickly reform itself as fast as she was chipping away. 

Like a fencer who knows his opponent is helpless, the angel accepted the glaring blow that would have fell any of his lesser siblings. Then suddenly, it raise its left paw and swipe at the umbilical cords that power the EVA, shredding half of them in the process and left the remaining one slowly breaking apart. 

But Tsuka was not someone do give up, after she went so far as to survive the third-impact to come back, she would not give up, especially to a second-rated angel like Sandalphon. Raising her blade one more time, She swing her blade toward the beast one last time, hoping to breach the Angel's core, just as the monster's jaw tore apart the EVA-00's heating shied and swing it against the wall of the volcano… 

-------

Near the Makeshift NERV command center. 

One of the many dangers to a soldier is not the danger of death, but the mind-devouring boredom between death and well, more death. After more than three hours sitting inside a EVA being transported from the NERV base to the drop site, then compounded being alternatingly whipped then kissed and bandaged by two mood-swinging red-heads the for the last three nights, the third child is in a near-exhausted state. So it was no surprise when there was nothing going on, Shinji de-sync with the EVA (so the EVA would not fall flat on its face or something) and took a minor nap. 

Tsuka's frantic shout through the speaker convinced him not to do that again. Turning his Eva around, he saw cranes that was suppose to lower Tsuka into the Volcano is busy cranking backwards. Running his Eva at full speed, the third child grab hold to the massive cables and begin to pull, ignoring Misato's plea from the Radio, he kept on pulling. 

Then when a burnt stump came up as what remained of EVA-02, without a second thought and before Misato can say a word, Shinji leap into the volcano with his EVA, with the remaining of the cables dangled in his hand. 

The Eva feed back her pains from the burns back to the boy a thousand fold as the armor around the EVA begin to melt under the duress, but it did not deter Shinji. Misato and the Techs were shouting through the Com, but a greater force prevented him from listening as he focus on searching for his errant co-worker. 

107 feet

221 feet

250 feet

THERE! 

In front of Shinji's sensors, he saw the remains of Asuka's Unit-02. The heat-shield was completely torn off, so was more than half of the armor. Angry boils rose from the unarmored part as the lava begin to dissolve the flesh. The EVA itself was not moving, and was being wiggled around by the giant maw- Angel like a dog with a chew toy. 

Seeing a new foe have entering the game, Sandalphon released the wounded EVA and fell backwards. 

"Asuka, can you hear me?" The purple EVA grab on to the wounded red with its other hand. 

No response. Tapping into the Tac-Com, the device shows the pilot onboard is unconscious. Before Shinji can react, the 8th Angel open its mouth again and a beam of glowing light, brighter even than the lava around them, begin to form in its mouth. 

And like all anime physics, when it glows, it explodes…or it launches a BIG fireball. 

The shockwave send both EVAs flying out the volcano, but even as shockwave threaten to rent the giant bio-war-machines into scrap, Shinji' Eva did not let go Unit 03. For the first time in a long time, Shinji felt the horror of free fall inside a 40 tons war machine. 

Shinji thought his was heart being wretched out of by the vertigo, at the same time the blood in his head roared as it rush away from his brain, threatening to him to black out as the safely straps ripe and broke away by the centrifugal force, digging deeply into the Third Child's flesh before releasing him and send him slamming against the walls of his 10' X 10' prison. Then suddenly for one second, everything stopped, as the EVA reach the apex of its impromptu flight…then gravity claim him again and send the EVA slamming back into Earth, delivering another concussive blow to the pilot in the process. 

Both EVAs crash into the ground with Shinji's 01 on top of Asuka's 02. Fighting pain all over his body and the blackout, the purple Eva pushes itself off its fallen comrade and struggle to get back onto its feet. 

-------------

NERV makeshift Command Center

Franticly looking over the shoulders of the Techs, the Major was becoming frantic as more and more bad news poured through the command center:

"EVA-02 is offline."   
"EVA-01 is heavily damaged."

"Chest armor at 22%, leg armor at 34%, head at 19%…"

"02-pilot is unconscious." 

"The angel is climbing out!" 

"OK EVERYBODY SHUT UP!" Misato screamed, and everyone instantly did so. Breathing hard, she begin to issue orders: 

"How long it would take for us for the angel to climb out?"  


One of the Techs replied: "About five and half a minutes."

"Shit, ok, signal all capture-related crew to pull out." 

"Yes sir, understood." The Tech in charge begin to issue orders, and the mobile-command center begin to move. 

  
Reaching for Mic, Misato call out to EVA-01

"Shinji! Are you there?" 

Looking out the monitors, Misato saw EVA-01 getting back onto its feet, like a boxer been beaten to the ropes, it lurched as it got up, then quickly collapsed back on to its knees. 

  
Tasting the blood that is now freely flowing from his nose and lips, Shinji blinked twice: "Yes Misato, I am still here." Reaching forward, the EVA-01 grab the discarded Progressive Knife, then looked up just to see a molten arm free itself from the volcano's mouth. 

"Shinji, get out of there!" Misato commanded. Of course the third child would obey, after all, this is Shinji we are talking about. 

"No." 

"NO???" Misato shouted in surprise. 

"Get the recovery crew to get Asuka's EVA out of here first."

"We can't risk two downed EVAs, with god knows where Rei is…"

Behind her, Ritsuko typed a command and brought up 01's wire frame schematic. Looking around to see everyone pre-occupied with the battle, she type a new command, namely the LCL flow control and order the machine to mix a new chemical into the entry-plug… 

"…You have to get out of there." Misato finish it. 

"Alright, but let me help get EVA-02…." 

Then suddenly there was a burst of static, and some sort noise that sound like someone thrashing in liquid, then Shinji replied again, in an almost alien voice: 

"NO! I am not going to abandon her like my father abandoned me, here is MY plan, _MISATO!" _The level of familiarity shocked the older woman, forced her to swallow her well-prepared retort. "I AM going to hold the monster off while you get a recovery crew up here, get HER out of here, I will buy you the time to do it."  
  
"Shinji! This is not a time for heroics!" 

"There was never a time for heroics, I DINT NOT COME HERE TO PILOT THE EVA FOR HEROICS! If you cut my power, the EVA is doomed, if you knock me out, The EVA is doomed, so unless you are prepared to lose two EVAs, you WILL get the recovery crew up here and save her." 

Suddenly, Misato heard another voice behind her. It is Lt. Colonel Dies. K. Irae, the JSDDF military attaché to NERV operation. The man came from a long line of military officers dated back the days of the Macarthur occupation, and his blue eyes and long nose reflect the only hint of a western ancestry. 

"Major, you realize what I must now do."

"Colonel, be reasonable, this operation is not over yet." 

Without the slightly hint of smile, Irae replied: "The orders from above is to launch the N^2 Mines should the situation became…fluid." 

Ritsuko cut in response: " THE angel is sitting on a major volcanic fault, if you nuke the place, we can start a HUGE eruption and with secondary Earthquakes in who know how many places. This is not greasing the Suburbs or the harbors of Tokyo-3, we can start an Earthquake wipe out half of Japan if N^2 the place."

"That is unfortunate, as I recall, MAJOR" putting extra emphasis on the word to show his contempt for Misato's rank "You are the one that assured us that Angel would be captured intact." 

Silence reign in the air for several seconds, just enough for everything in the room to cease breathing in fear, then Irae continued:

" However, I am aware of how limited and clumsy a N^2 solution can be, so I am going to allow you to continue to deal with the matter, but if that monster get within two miles radius of any thing bigger than a hamlet, the N2 goes off."

The two women and the assorted Techs stared at him as if he just declared himself the reincarnation of Christ. Snorting once, Irae replied: "What? Oh people watch two much B -rated animes, not ALL soldiers are bloodthirsty and brainless trigger-happy idiots you know. SOME of us actually study the Battle ROM and remember nuking may not be the most effective ways to deal with an Angel. Only an idiot of commander would not learn from his mistakes…" pausing a second to take a breath: "Now, don't you have an operation to do?"  
  
Misato was already back at her consoles directing commands. 

Battered and bruised with one eye swollen shut, Shinji struggle to bring his EVA back online.It seem almost an eternity passed until Misato's voice finally bleed through the static filling communication unit: "I will get the crew up here, you need to buy us a full 10 minutes for Unit-02's extraction, the Army will try to provide you with some fire support while we think up a plan to stop that monster, we left three portable generator around the Launch zone to give you recharge. Good luck, PILOT." 

Smiling grimly, Shinji reached into his plug suit and pulled out his SDAT. Inside it included a single song Kensuke recorded for him. 

[Flashback]

  
Standing on the roof of the school, the two boys were watching the sunset, then Kensuke got up and handed Shinji a small song disc.

"What is it?" 

"It is song I found online, it is called 'war of the last wolves' play it when you are piloting your EVA, It will give you the energy to fight on when all seem to be hopeless."

[End flashback]

As the Angel cleared its upper torso out of the volcano, the first thing it realize it could no longer support its own mass properly. The claws, jaws and fins were workable in a WARM aquatic environment, but in the cold world outside of the volcano the huge lava body would be clumsy and difficult to control. 

Then it saw was one of its attackers kneeling at the bottom of the mountain, struggling back onto its feet while plugging a cable into its back. Some smaller metal boxes move to tow his other fallen foe away while some other small metal objects (in its prospective) hover over it. Then with roar, the sea-beast melted away like wax and transformed into a new body, one that resemble an EVA, but instead it had flaming claws instead of hands, and a molten ever-changing skin instead of titanium-reinforced armor. 

From Shinji's point of view, the Angel stood on the lips of the mountain, and despite it is EVA like appearance, Sandalphon still stood at least 15-20 meters taller than it is foe. Like an ancient war god, it screamed an inhuman threat that promise death and destruction to anyone that stood in its way. 

With another Roar, the 8th Angel charged downhill, spraying molten destruction every with every step. But instead of meeting the charge, Shinji waited as a dozen JSSDF gun-ships begin to spray missiles and LBX-Auto-cannon shells at the fire elemental.   
  
While the shots score no critical damages, the shrapnel begins to chip away bits of the Sandalphon's lava flesh, screaming in rage, the angel raise its arms-then a ring fire explode over its head toward the flyers. Three of them could not dodge fast enough and they exploded, but the rest manage to break away, then regroup behind the monster for a second strafing run. 

Looking through the side monitor, Shinji saw Misato and the Japanese army officer giving him a thumb-up.   
  
"Like my grandmother use to say: Kill them all, the devil with recognize its own, go for it boy, give him hell." 

In response, Shinji command Unit-01 to raise its right arm in salute, brought its left to protect its face, then the EVA leaned forward and lowered its profile. Inside its entry-plug, Shinji pressed his SDAT to "Play" and charged. 

The two met at the midway of the mountain with the angel busy swiping away ineffectively at the Fighters. Using the opening, Shinji draw his blade and plunge it into the monster's chest, missing the core by merely two meters. Realizing how close it coming to become a NERV lab sample, The Angel swing an hard right with its claw, burning away armor and flesh from the EVA's left arm, But Shinji guide the EVA out the worst of the way. With a speed that defied the laws of physics, the purple EVA swing the blade and gorge deeply into the Sandalphon's left arm. 

The Angel's was distracted by the pain, and its next attack missed EVA-01's head by a fraction of a meter, not wasting the opportunity, the EVA deliver a nasty kick to the elemental's torso, damaging the Angel core in the process. 

Howling in pain, Sandalphon reach out with its left arm and grab its' foe's, with a strength beyond measure of human instruments, it tore the limb off. THEN use it as a club and swing directly into EVA 01's face, sending the massive bio-terror tumbling down hill, crushing the umbilical power cord in the process. 

Reaching for his left arm and thinking it is broken, Shinji screamed in pain as the LCL feedback the EVA's loss of arm to its pilot. Another section of the capsule crumble in as the EVA land on its back, and the shockwave bounce the boy back and forward inside the capsule, he cried out in pain again as shocks erupt all over his body. The sheer punishment should had made Shinji pass out, the pain alone should have made ANYONE pass out…

But to everyone, including the Angel's surprise, the purple EVA stopped its own decent only meters away from the terrified recovery crew and UNIT-02 by digging into the rocks with its Progressive Knife. Using its remaining arm to stabilize itself, the EVA is slowly rolled back to its knees and reached for one of the reserve generators, just in time as the angel begin to march downhill.

------

Inside Unit-02 

Tsuka is awakened by the sound of EVA-01 crashing downhill. Blinking twice, she find herself trapped in a powerless EVA with only her life-support and radio communications, luckily, someone attach a power cable to the EVA, and power is slowly flowing back into Unit-02. Looking up, she see Shinji's EVA collapsed only meters away from her. Behind him the 8th Angel march down the hill, molten lava sliding out its wounds. And above it, dozens of JSSDF Gunships pounded ineffectively at the beast. 

Like a scene right out of the biblical battle between David and Goliath, the wounded EVA got back up on its feet. The Angel bellows another roar, as if commanding his foe to surrender to this hopeless battle.

In response, EVA-01 flip its Progressive Knife so the flat side faced the angel and send a beam of reflective sunlight at the giant monster, the meaning was clear even from Tsuka's angle: I give you my surrender, when you pry it from my burning, smothering hand. 

-----

Inside Unit-01

The Song of the wolves drummed into the high pitch and allowed him to draw upon his strength from places he did not even know existed. 

And Sandalphon is getting closer and closer. 

Sandalphon speed up its pace then charged, raising its left arm and took a hard swing into EVA-01's face plate, nearly shattering it completely. Howling in pain, Unit-01 counterattack attacked by digging its blade into its tormentor's arm, looping the entire thing off within seconds. 

The Angel in response summon a bolt of lava with its right hand and hurled it at the EVA, gorging a deep hole in its left shoulder, but it barely slowed down the raging monster as it bend-down and did a knee-capping technique on the 8th Angel. Then it let go the Progressive blade and grab Sandalphon's discarded limb just as Sandalphon went down…hard. 

Without even thinking, Shinji order the EVA to attach the arm. Most of it dissolved away within seconds after been shred off by the Prog Knife, but there was a metal-wire like line that remained. Within seconds, the wire fused with the EVA, forming a new arm and claw with flames wreathed around it.

----

Command center  
  
Misato stood there in shock, the Techs stare in shock, and somewhere among the banks after banks of electronics, a grainy camera showed Tsuka in shock. 

One of the Techs tear his eyes from the monitor, then looked down on the banks of electronics and said: "Major, you are not going to believe this."

Without looking away from the battle, Misato looked down and said: "Huh?"

"The EVA is not berserking."

"What? But…"

"I am comparing the level of sync and life-support between the first battle and this one, and the reading are way off. The life-support system is suffering catastrophic failures, the LCL Temp is 20 degrees off boiling temp, the sync rate is lower than the first battle…AND the pilot is still, alive and conscious." 

"But how…"

Behind them, Ritsuko smirked sadly. 

------

Remains of Antarctica, 

Aboard the NERV super carrier

Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki put the phone down, pausing a second, then turned to look at the NERV supreme commander. Gendo is staring out the window, looking at the blood red sea thinking about the uncertain future ahead. 

"They are ruining me, old friend." Gendo finally said without turning around. 

"Who?" 

"Whoever has been deviling us for years, sabotaging our bases, stealing our secrets, leaving dead or befuddled Section 2 agents in the process." 

"Yes, I know, but I have some good news, and bad ones."

Without taking his eyes off the crimson beyond, Gendo asked: "Oh?"

"Dr. Akagi report the Aggression Formula is working properly, your son is fighting admirably against the 8th angel, however, she warned the formula would not work properly if the subject is not immersed in LCL." 

"The bad news?" 

"Rei has escaped, we don't know where or how, and Section 2 is in a uproar about the situation, the last time she got back to her apartment was three days ago, but NERV lost her trail again shortly afterwards. What is worse, Someone raided the clone-cache and stole all seven…"

"Fuyutsuki! Do you know what this means!" Gendo broke all pretense of calm and roared in fury: "THOSE CLONES ARE THE HEART OF THE DUMMY PLUG PROJECT AND THE HCP PROJECT! TELL SECTION 2 TO DROP WHATEVER THEY ARE DOING AND FIND THOSE ALBINO DOLLS! IS! THAT! UNDER! STAND! ABLE!???" 

Taking aback by Gendo's outburst, Sub-commander Fuyutsuki replied: "Yes sir, I will get right on to it." Then quickly backed out the bridge.

--------

Main while 

It has been literally three days since Ayanami moved into Kensuke's house (Kensuke still not sure how did Rei manage evade NERV's security police). Being one of those new "post-2nd Impact" parents without a wife, Kensuke's father simply smirked when he saw his son with a real girl. Without even taking his coat off as he got home, the man inform his otaku of a son he would be working late for the next few days so the boy can "get to know his girlfriend better". Just as the boy was shrieking cowardice at his father for abandoning him. 

With the school trip long forgotten (Since Rei can't go anywhere public without attraction attention), Kensuke now has to get use to living with the strange albino girl, who moved the few items she own from her own apartment and settled in one of the guest rooms.

After lunch, the children break out a game called "Nightmare chess." It is played on a standard chessboard, but each player has a deck of cards that can generate effects that can "shake up the table". The game is one of Kensuke's favorites, but now he find it increasingly difficult to concentrate with the albino wearing such revealing…uniform and staring at him with an almost ghost of smile. 

Kensuke now seriously wish the Prozac would finally wear off and the blue-haired girl would go away. Being rejected by a member of the opposite sex is normal and acceptable even expected fact for the Otaku, but having a girl you barely know days earlier in your room with only a bathrobe and slippers on is quite something else, and the word _Vampire, succubus_ and _murderess_ begin to flash through his mind in alarming frequencies. 

[Before you rail me for OOCs…do not forget lessons in social etiquettes/opposite sex is unlikely to be one of the subjected taught to her by Gendo, so with a personality change, something like this is quite like to happen -author]

"Kensuke-kun?"  
  
"Yes Ayanami?"  
  
"Did you just cast _Smite_ on your own Bishop?" 

__

"Ah…"

---------

Unit-02

Fear begin to claw at Tsuka as she watch Sandalphon regain its own footing and regenerated an new arm at the expense of some shrinkage in size, for one reason or another, a fear for the third-child bloom from the bottom of her heart. Then she heard the sound of his voice leaking though the radio: 

"Can't stop now, people's lives are depending on me…"  
  
"Asuka is depending her life on me…" 

And her thoughts were punctured by the sight of 01 collapsed after another wave of fire, desperately trying to hold on as Sandalphon grab the EVA's neck in a choke-hold. Over the radio, Tsuka can hear the techs screaming:

"The temperature in the Entry plug has risen another ten degrees!"

"The LCL's temperature has went past optimum and it's rapidly losing oxygen concentration!"

"Eject the Entry-Plug!" 

"Control system not responding, the angel is forming some kind of wall over the entry/exit tube…"

__

Well mother, if you are in here right now, help your daughter! I follow this boy through the end of the world, and I will be damned if I am going let him die like this! 

Without alerting the angel, EVA-02 reaches for the discarded Progressive Knife on the ground…

----------

Inside 01

If there are empty spaces inside the capsule and one look into it, he or she would realize the pool of red liquid is bubbling. Breathing another lungful of scaling LCL, Shinji's eye went glossy as the entire world seems to become a column of flame. Skins begin to flake off his face as the heat level reach to a point that is not meant for the human body…

Looking up, he saw his vision fade away as the red is replace by a tunnel of darkness, standing in the end of the tunnel he saw a beautiful woman that eerily resemble Rei (but taller) watching him… 

__

Mother? 

The woman smiles at him kindly, as if to acknowledge their relationship.

__

Mother! Shinji thought in joy, _we can be together again. _

She continued to smile at him, and then shake her head and points behind him.

Turning around, Shinji saw Asuka in her plug-suit, franticly shouting for his name as she dash left and right through a maze looking for him. 

__

Mother…what should I do? 

But she vanished, so did Asuka, so did the dark tunnel as everything turned white…

------

Sandalphon howled in triumph as the 01 EVA ceased its struggle and both of its arms and legs became limp. Then the Angel bark out an inhuman laugh as it reach out to deliver the coup'de grace, then suddenly, it realize something is wrong as the entire world seem to slow…

Looking down, it finds the sharp end of a Progressive Knife protruding from its own torso, neatly cutting the Angel Core in half… 

Without even a whimper, the entity that was once known as Sandalphon, 8th angel, dissolved into a puddle of ooze. With two halves of a red gemstone and some wire cables falling on top of it. No glorious explosions, no screams of fury, no final promise of revenge…

------

Inside 02 

Tsuka command her EVA to stop 01 from crashing onto the ground. Like a scene out of a romance movie, unit-02 cradle 01 in its arms, then reach out to 01's behind and gently remove the entry plug. 

Holding the white tube as if it is the most precious thing in the world, the red EVA place it outside the lava-flow zone, just as paramedics rush toward it. 

Tsuka tried to cry inside her own confined prison, but the LCL stole her tears. 

-------

Inside the Mobile HQ

Lt. Colonel Irae turned around and shook Major Misato's hand: "Well, it look I was wrong about you secret forces folks after all," Smiling at Misato's discomfort and darting eyes, Irae continued: "Ah, I know you must be worried about your pilots, I will not delay you then."

Without another word, Irae step out the armored Mobile HQ, with a frantic Misato behind him, running toward the battle-zone as soon as she clear out the door. Irae smiled once, then got into one of the cars that parked by the HQ. 

Once he got into the interior, Irae begin to strip off his uniform and trench coat until he had nothing but a light shirt and a pair of pants on. The other occupant in the backseat smiled patiently as Irae complains about how idiotic military uniforms are. 

Motioning the driver to drive, the man turn around to face the colonel. 

"How did it go? Did you twitch Misato's rank as I told you to?" 

Grabbing the soda from a nearby ice box, Irae broke the cap and took a deep swig before answering: " I really didn't see the purpose of it, I mean the lady was a through going professional."

Smiling tolerantly, Gerald/Simon/Shinji replied: "Not everything need a purpose you know."

"With you? I doubt it, you are the sort of the guy who do think up a plan to take over the world while getting piss drunk in biker's bar." 

A long pause followed, as both men stare out to the countryside and pretend to admire the scenery.

"So um, how did Ms. Kayona go on her commando raid?"   
  
Pushing the red-tinted glasses a inch more up his nose, Gerald answered: "Rather too well, I do say, the last time I saw her before she boarded the plane I chartered her."

"All seven clones accounted for?"

"Sort of, although giving them Prozac may have been a mistake."

Raising an eyebrow, Irae inquired patiently.

"The seven girls are now quite happy…and reverted to normal teenage girl tendencies at this age." _And has an insane tendency to gossip about me and my mother, but that is best left unsaid. _

"Oh Joy."

"The first thing they did was to distinguish themselves from each other, but they refused to change their hairstyle, so instead they change the colors of their hair instead."

"Oh good." Irae answered sarcastically.

"So the whole gang now look like a bad episode of _Sailor Moon _or an advisement for the _Rainbow Alliance,_ with seven different colored hair, AND they actually picked up a black cat in the process too."  


"You are joking." 

"That is not the only problem of course…"

"It is not?" 

"You remember Ms. Kayona's parents when we were in United States two years ago? For that CovertOP mission?"

"Oh yes, very nice folks, if you um…discount the episode with Kaji and her dad's shotgun." 

"Conservative enough to consider it heresy to have children without the father, so when her mom confront her about the situation, Ms. Kayona panicked and told her the father will be here soon, so therefore…" Gerald pulls a plane ticket and an address to Virginia, USA. 

"You are kidding me, no, no, no way." Irae franticly wave his hands in refusal. "Get Kaji, or Nikito, or Peroth for this job or ANYONE, please not me."

"Nikito, well, you know Peroth would have a fit if she find out he is…well on the same Continent as Ms. Kayona, Kaji is not exactly the kind of person I do present as a good example of an model parent…"

"Hey!" The driver protests from the front. 

"…And Peroth is simply not the right sex for fatherhood." 

"OMG, can't she say the children were adopted, or clones?"

"In Virginia? Be serious, you know how the conservatives would react if they ever found out cloning technology do exist…" 

Eyes blinking like a pair of bad traffic lights, the Lt. Colonel said: "Me, father…of seven no less."

Shinji/Gerald/Simon flash an evil smile at him. 

Groaning, Irae pull the ticket from his boss's hand: " I knew I shouldn't got out of the bed this morning."

[Well that took care of all my ACC obligations from the "who is Simon illyan" contest-Author] 

------------- 

NERV HQ HOSPITAL 

Time: 22:21 local time 

Standing next to a frantic Tsuka, Major Misato Katsuragi waited outside of the emergency ward, waited for any news of the third child. It seemed to be eternity until the doctor came out. 

"How bad is it?" Misato asks.

"Misato," The doctor, a man in his late sixties, said: "We simply know each other for too long for me to lie to you. Well…For whatever it is worth, he is going to live, but," raising a hand to forestall the impeding celebration by the two women: " it is not going to be easy. The plug suit saved the majority of his body, there are burns on his face, but we manage to graft a fresh layer skin, no problem. But his lungs were nearly destroyed by the LCL, and as of right now and possibility until the end of his life, he will need a re-breather to super-cool his air intake."

Bowing formally to the two stunned women, the doctor left the two of them standing in front of the door. A full minutes passes before the younger redhead open her mouth: "Well? Aren't you going to see him?" 

"I saw him, when they took him out the tube. It was horrible sight, with his face charred and his left hand twitching and…I just cannot face him right now, to know I was the one that put him in there the first place."

__

Actually, Commander Gendo and SLEELE start the whole thing, Tsuka correctly silently, _but I cannot tell you that, not yet anyway. _

"Well in that case," Tsuka throw up her best 'I am the queen of the world' look "It is up to me to kick the third child-baka back onto his feet, you can go home now, Misato." With a bow, the German redhead open the door, step in, and close behind her. 

And her superiority instantly deflate itself at the sight of the third child on the bed, his face covered with bandages and a small metal device now appear on his nose. Choking back a sob, Tsuka walk up to her wounded co-worker.

Hearing the sound of someone approaching his bed, Shinji turned around from staring at the ceiling, to his surprise, he found Tsuka staring at him with…tears in her eyes. Without saying a word, Tsuka sat on to the bed and give Shinji a kiss on lips. It was not the abortive kiss they shared (later share, she correct herself), it was the sweetest kiss of love and passion. After a full minute, Shinji broke up and asked: 

"Asuka….why?" Shinji uttered.

"I am Tsuka actually, but yes, I am Asuka too. You resemble my beloved too much, no, you are my beloved, I KNOW you are after you pulled me out the Volcano the second time…"

With unusual calmness, Shinji asks: "Tsuka, you are not making sense…"

His words were again interrupted by the red-haired girl's index fingers over his lips, with its tip touching the silver re-breather piece: "Just shush, I will explain everything in the morning…please…just hold me tonight." 

Taking off her shoes, Asuka climb on to the bed and pull the cover over the two of them…

[Tsuka leap out the screen with a marker and blackout the next page and half] sorry author-san, but I like to keep my romance life private if you don't mind. And you can't write a decent love scene if your life depend on it anyway, you simply don't have any experience. 

Author: Ouch…

[Tsuka disappears]

Now…idiotic she-devils aside.

So folks, what do you think of a fic, especially this EVA battle part? Send me your review. After all, I am very busy (and lazy) person, and there are so many other things I can do instead of writing this. Just as professional writers get paid money for their writing, FF writers get paid with reviews. No pays, no writing. 


	10. Blank Chapter 3

According to a friend of mine, by removing several chapters at once from FF.net may create a bug for reviews and sometime take the fic offline completely. So I made this fill-in chapter until I can get something in place of it. 

Please hit "next" and go to the next chapter. Thank you and have good day. 


	11. the reckoning

*picture Shinji with a Redhead handcuffed to each of his arms* hemm…the fan fiction possibilities.   
  
Disclaimer: see last chapter  
  
Katsuragi residence  
Late Sunday evening   
  
The door opens with a bang as Asuka step into the room, looking around, she see the hallway is deserted except for the sound of kissing emulating from deeper end of the apartment.   
  
"Hello? I am HOME!!!" Asuka shouts.   
  
No one responded.   
  
"Misato must be watching those corny romance film again." Asuka grumbles. Without a second thought, the redhead tosses her bag into the room she shared with her "sister," then walk into the kitchen to get something to eat.   
  
Much to her surprise, the German girl found Misato sitting in the kitchen with a Yeshibu in hand. Seeing Pen-Pen is drinking with her, Asuka quickly made some assessments:  
1. Shinji never watch those kind of shows,   
2. Neither does the older version of her, unless living through the 3rd Impact changed her mind, but unlikely.   
3. And regardless what faults Misato has, she is not someone who would leave the TV on and not watching.   
4. Kaji is not here (thank god)   
  
"No way." Asuka whisper in shock, and Misato simply nods then kept on drinking. Gingerly, Asuka open the kitchen door as if it have a coiled viper in front of it. The sight that greets her made the girl wish the door had a viper attached.  
  
Asuka found herself making out with the Third child. Wait, no exactly, Tsuka is making out with the third child. The two were on couch, with the redhead on top and the Japanese boy on the bottom, arms entwined around each other's back. And from the look of it, both of them are enjoying the whole thing.  
  
Screeching in fury, Asuka shouts: " Shinji you hentai baka!"  
  
Sighing in disgust, the other German girl got off the poor boy, in an act reminiscent the first night she came here, Tsuka stood up and came face to face with her younger upstart. With a voice barely can be register as a whisper: "The Third Boy is mine, do you have a problem with that?"   
I guess the only thing that can stop Asuka is another Asuka, figures. Shinji thoughts.   
  
The air seem to electrify as the two redheads stare down at each other, after what it seem to be eternity, then the younger girl broke off and started to shout at the Major, who had the bad luck of walking in.   
  
"Misato!" Asuka bellows: "How can you as our guardian condone something like this?!"   
  
"Why not?" A bleary eyed Misato walk out the kitchen with the waterfowl in tow.  
  
"Because is sinful, it is hideous, it is hentai!"   
  
"Oh Jeez, you begin to sound like Hikari now" Tsuka begin to be annoyed by her younger self's carping, opening open hands and pointing them at Shinji in a 'be my guest' gesture: " If our relationship is causing you so much distress, I am more than willing to share, I get to be on top though."   
  
Shinji blinks once, then give a look as if he is about to cease breathing, something truly alarming for someone who suffered critical lung injuries. One quick glance at the other redhead told him that he should be somewhere else right now…  
  
Then what pass for Misato's "guardian" mode kicked in.  
  
"Oh Tsuka, it is not a big deal, they're co-workers. A little relationship on the side doesn't really matter, as long their clothes remain on the right places."   
  
That remark earned a blush from couple on the sofa but they kept silent.   
  
"But I am Asuka!" Asuka shouts out without thinking.   
  
Suddenly, the alcoholic fog in front of Misato's eyes fade away "Then who was in 02 in the last battle?"   
  
Silence reign in the living room…  
  
"Shinji!" Misato commands, "You! Out now! Woman to girls talk."   
  
"GIRL!" Both Redheads screeched, but a evil glare from Misato put them down.  
  
And the third child dutifully head for his room with the waterfowl.   
  
--------  
  
Lunchtime in School   
  
"So let me get this straight." Kensuke push his glasses up his nose, "You are sleeping with the devil's sister."  
  
"Not sleeping." Shinji interrupts, his Rebreather hissed like Darth Vader: "We are just, um, going out."  
  
"And the devil is having problem with that." Toji add in.   
  
Remembering Tsuka's oath of secrecy, Shinji bit his tongue and swallow his answer.  
"Good for you," the boy Otaku smile fondly at his friend: "Having the most chased girl in school eating out of your hand."   
  
"Speaking of girls, as I recall, you have the second most want-to-chase-but-too-scary-to-think-about-girl living in your house now." Toji grinned maliciously, while the two other boys wonder how the heck the Jock manage to say a sentence like that.   
  
"How did…" Kensuke reply.   
  
Sweating profusely as he imagined the NERV security teams around the corner, the boy Otaku turn around to look for the men in black, but instead he hear the telltale bitching coming from the other end of the cafeteria.   
  
"It is all your fault now I have to go to Sync tests!"  
  
"My Fault? It is your fault for not keeping your lips off Shinji!"   
  
The statement evokes a collective throw up from all males eating within hearing range. Unfortunately, with the twin's voice, that meant most of the cafeteria. Before the boys can blink, a large population of the 9th grade males begins to glare at Shinji… (while the single females population all secretly smile in relief)   
  
"I think an tactical withdraw is in order." Kensuke push his glasses up another inch then start to gather his lunch tray. Eyes widen in alarm, Toji put his arms around Shinji and slowly pick him up from the chair, "Slowly boys, back out the Cafeteria…before we…"   
  
"Kensuke-kun!" a cheery voice came out from behind.   
  
All three boys turns around, only see a cheerful Rei with an equally cheerful Class Rep walking toward them, the latter carrying a lunchbox, both appear oblivious of the impending disaster around them.   
  
Kensuke gulped audibly: "I think…the situation just got decisively deadly."   
  
NERV HQ  
  
"Sir, we found the first child." The intercom chimed.   
  
Gendo stared into the Intercom as if wishing to destroy it with his eyes alone, if his captain on the other side saw this, he would cringe in fear. But alas, the commander must save his death glares for another day.   
  
"And? Did your team move to retrieve her?"   
  
"Sir, they are in the school, there are too many people around. Think of the Children…"  
  
"ENOUGH!" Gendo bellowed: " I have briefed you C&D people time after time how important the first child is to our operations, with her replacements vanished, I need her back! AND I WANT HER NOW!!"   
  
A long paused followed, then a new voice can be heard from the Intercom, with background noise that sound like struggles and shouts.   
  
"Sorry sir, but it is not possible."  
  
Taking a deep breath, the Commander close his eyes and uttered: "Why?"  
  
"Um, sir, there is a riot going on in the school, and the first child disappeared during the chaos."  
  
"Riot? In a Japanese school?" Gendo asked incredulously.   
  
"Yes sir, it has to do with your son and the second child, the entire male population has go postal over her alleged post-adolescent relationship."   
  
"My son? With Asuka?"   
"Yes sir, is that or the second child's sister. They are almost the same and we have an hard time finding out which and which."  
  
"Well forget her! Find that albino doll before it is too late!"   
  
-----  
School Infirmary  
  
"Ouch." Kensuke winced as the nurse tack another bandage on his arm. Looking around, he see Toji laid on his back staring outside one of the windows, while Shinji had some bandage applied to his right eye. The wounds from the last Angel battle still remained unhealed, and this fight had induced fresh waves of injuries all over the third child.   
  
The two Asukas sat facing each other in a corner, then the two turned around at sounds of Kensuke's pain.   
  
"So Stooge, how did you get your hands into the doll's pants?" One of the Asukas asked.   
  
Both Shinji and Kensuke begin to blush furiously at the remark, but thankfully, the redheads(s) were fully concentrated at the Otaku and not at Shinji for once.   
  
With dangerous glares emitting from both devils, Kensuke gulped audibly, with a loss for words, he reach into his pant pocket and fished out an empty medicine bottle.   
"Prozac?" the other Asuka look perplexed…  
  
"You fed Prozac to the doll?" The first one stared incredulously.   
  
"Not fed, she um, took the bottle while I was, um, recovering from a recent head injury," no reason to bring back the reason of the head injury, "and I found this among her stuff last week when she moved in. I think, um, she might have, um, overdosed."   
  
The silence is getting more and more uncomfortable…   
  
"Good Job!" Both Asukas slap Kensuke in the back, sending his glasses flying into the floor.   
  
Tsuka smiled happily: "That is one problem out the way, of all the ways to open her up, I never thought about drugging her." Then quickly added: "By the way, that doesn't raise your standing with us, stooge."   
  
"Speaking of Rei, where is she?" Shinji asks.   
  
"It's Rei now? You are getting too familiar with her!" Both redheads leaned forward and gave the third child a death glare, sending the boy tumbling over the bed he was sitting on. Toji managed to catch the EVA pilot before the boy have another concussion.   
  
Tsuka however, stop to think about the question: "Where is the doll anyway?"   
  
Toji, slowly pushing the third child back to a sitting position, added in: " I saw one of the guys that wore NERV uniform, you know, Trench coat and shades everything, stop her and took her away, she, didn't appear to be too happy about it."  
  
The other four children met each other's gaze, the collectively shouted "OH NO!"   
  
Snarling furiously, Asuka deliver a devilish glare at Toji: "Why didn't you say anything?!"  
  
"Well, um, I tried, but I kind of got jumped by your fans…"   
  
--------  
NERV HQ   
  
"Sir, we got the first child."   
  
"Sent her in." Gendo commanded.   
  
Within seconds, the door slid open noiselessly to admit Commander Fuyutsuki and the first child. Rei walked in her sailor suit with her hands in pockets, smiling cheerfully, while the aging sub-commander stood by the door, a grim look in his face.   
"Rei." Gendo uttered.   
  
"Commander." The albino girl countered, not giving ground but still smiling happily.   
  
"I am disappointed in you, Rei."   
  
"I'm sorry?"   
  
"I thought you had more discipline than my son."   
  
"Perhaps." Her smiles faded a little bit, but still remained there.   
  
"You are the heart of the HCP project, I cannot afford to lose you."   
  
"As you have lost your wife." The girl replied matter-of-factly, turning around to stare at the picture at the commander's desk.   
  
Gendo snarled in fury, too many things has gone wrong lately for the man, too many of his plans fell apart and many more lurched on the verge to collapse, the sheer pressure destroyed veneer of control and replace it with the cold and savage monster inside. Grabbing Rei's right hand, he squeezed her hand hard.   
  
But the unexpected happened, as Gendo's and Rei's hand came into contact with each other, they [the hands] begin to glow, and Ayanami' eyes widen slightly.   
  
"Yes Ayanami, you must understand."  
  
Lowering her eyes, Ayanami appeared to submit…  
  
Then in a flash, the blue-haired girl reach into her pockets and pulled out a wicked dagger. Before anyone can react, Ayanami slash Gendo's hand with the curved blade. Blood splash over the blue haired girl's face, while Gendo's white gloves were covered with red as he tumble backward.   
  
For the first time in her short life…Ayanami screamed in rage: "What I UNDERSTAND IS YOU WANT TO SACIFICE ME FOR YOUR DEAD WIFE! YOU WANT SACIFICE YOUR OWN SON FOR YOUR DEAD WIFE! YOU WANT SACIFICE THE LIVES OF THIS WORLD FOR A DEMENTED PLAN….I…HATE…YOU." Spitting every letter of the word as if it is venom, the girl stare right into Gendo's eye, then dashed out the door.   
  
Commander Fuyutsuki look at the blood on floor, Gendo's bleeding form, sighed, and called a first aid crew. Then he too left the room, leaving a stunned Gendo Ikari on the floor.   
  
"Why…didn't she understand…why didn't anyone understand…"  
------  
Later that night  
  
For all his guile and annoyingness, Kensuke could not find a way to get into the NERV HQ to find out the fate of the first child. Even Asuka and Shinji were barred from entering the HQ, sending more morbid thoughts into the boy Otaku and his friends. With no other venue available, the only thing Kensuke can do is to come back to his apartment.   
  
Father is not home again, typical. Kensuke thought.  
  
Then he saw one of his own daggers, stained with blood, lying on the floor. Fearing the worst, Kensuke dash through the house screaming Rei's name. He found her on the Balcony, with blood in her hand, sobbing.   
  
Fearing Rei would so something drastic, Kensuke walked slowly toward the girl.   
  
"Ayanami?" Kensuke call out fearfully.  
  
"I am not even…really…human, I am a clone from his dead wife and a Angel…" Rei cries on. "I look through his eyes, Kensuke-kun, I saw his heart. He consider me a doll, a piece to be sacrificed for his little game…I despise him."   
  
Ignoring the shocking (and still mystifying) revelation of Ayanami's origins, the boy Otaku decided to calm her down before inquiring for further information. Placing his arms around Rei's neck so she wouldn't jump off: "You are just as human as me, I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile, I've even heard you laugh," Kensuke cradle her face with his left hand: "dolls don't do that, he must have lied, whoever he is. And even if you are an angel, I would be glad to worship a goddess like you."   
  
Ayanami jerks backward as if been struck by lightning, "Dolls don't lie, humans do, he does, so do you."   
  
Unabashed by that accusation, Kensuke replies: "Not all the time, I truly believe you are someone special."  
  
"Prove it." Kensuke suddenly realize Rei's tear-filled eyes suddenly went blazing with fire: "Take off your clothes."  
  
"Oh sure…"then the implication of that remark struck the boy Otaku like a tornado hitting an barn. "…WHAT?"   
  
"Take off your clothes and lie down with me like HUMANS do. Man to woman." Her hands reach out to grasp his throat, the pressure from them slowly made little wells in his neck, a little bit more and fountain of blood would erupt out of them…   
  
"Birp?" the boy choked in fear, his eyes glowing in alarm, as Ayanami's face become closer and closer, the red eyes glowing….  
  
Wow, who would have thought the entrance to hell would be so narrow? Kensuke thought: I can't believe this, trapped on a tenth floor balcony with a sex-starved half-angel clone, there was nothing written like this in the Art of War…   
  
---------  
Across the street on a distant roof  
  
Pulling binoculars off his face, Gerald [future Shinji] smiled as he saw Ayanami grab Kensuke and pinned him to the floor, as both children disappeared out of sight, the secret agent turned around to his two companions. One of them, a gorgeous brunette who an wore an ebony thong and tube top encircled by wide, golden, belt-like ribbons about her torso, giving the impression of a gift ribbon waiting to be untied. While the other wore a black Gi overlapped with a bullet-proofed vest, giving the impression of the Traditional Japanese Ninja.  
  
"I am sorry Kensuke, but in order for the scenario to play out correctly, I need Rei to be VERY happy with life. Time to go, folks," Gerald smiled viciously.   
  
"But boss! They just got to the fun part!" The brunette pouted.   
  
Before Gerald can formulate a reply, two cars came racing down the street, both painted Jet black. The cars screeched as they pulled to a halt, and eight NERV agents pouring out of them with weapons drawn.   
  
Sighing in disgust, Gerald points at the scene below: "Get them, I want send a message to Gendo Ikari."   
  
"Ah boss," The brunette begin to complain again: " You know they are not going to leave peacefully without Rei."   
  
Drawing his right index finger in a slashing motion over his throat, Gerald replied: " It is not the message I plan to send."   
-------  
t.b.c   
  
Well, although no one seem to write reviews for my fic anymore, I don't really care about them either, although more reviews means I can write faster. There is a small group of fans that still keep reading my fic despite all odds, and for that, I own them a completion to this story.   
  
To the minority fans that remain patient with me, and especially my pre-readers and sisters, I salute you all!   
  
Of course, now you scrolled to the bottom of the screen, does it take you that much time and effort to post a review and cheer me up? Prove to me you are not lazy… or you will make Pen-Pen cry again. 


	12. The Night Tokyo3 stood still

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything state below belong the Gainax or Luis Bujurd Macmaster, BUT I RULE THE WORLD! MUHAHAHA! OUCH! PEORTH! LEAVE THE WHIPS AND ROSES ALONE! I will be good… 

_"PERSONAL reminder: In the event of trapped on a tenth floor balcony with a sex-starved-angst-half-angel-clone-who-is-having-an-personal-crisis, _

_1.Let her do whatever she wants._

_2.Resistance is futile. (just picture Rei say it with her-pre-Prozac-look-author)_

_3.Resistance in fact, can be VERY painful. _

_4.If I try to do resist her advances again, refer to #3._

_P.S An Average angel, even a half-angel-clone, have waaay more energy than the average human, (at least of the average Otaku), and she will NOT allow you to pass out. _

_-Kensuke's copy of **art of war**, footnotes_

Chapter 12: The night Tokyo-3 stood still 

Reminder: Tsuka=Post-third Impact Asuka, Gerald Ion Rush/Simon Illyan= Post-Third Impact Shinji, the other Asuka and Shinji are themselves from the series. In theory, Tsuka is about six months older than Asuka.

Katsuragi residence 

Tired and exhausted from the fruitless search for the First Child, Shinji Ikari walked into his room with his SDAT in his hand, listening to what he usually listens to as he brought his futon out for another night of sleep. 

The Shoji screen behind him slide open noiselessly as Tsuka walked in. Unaware, Shinji continued to listen to the music just as Tsuka reach out and put her hands over his eyes. __

"Guess who?" Tsuka whispered. 

"Misato?" Shinji responded playfully, although some of it was lost by the hissing sound of his Re-breather. 

Delivering a glare that has zero effect since Shinji's eyes were cover up by her hand, Tsuka decided to give the third boy (as she affectionly call him lately) a second chance: 

"Guess again, baka." 

"Asuka?" Shinji replied with a small hiss.

"Close, but you are getting there." 

Perhaps the music induced a fresh wave of courage, or Tsuka's recent _hot _actions toward him, Shinji decide to be brave and uttered the unthinkable, "hemm? Rei?" 

"heyyyy…what did I say about dolls?" 

"You want be friend with Rei so she would not start the third impact but you don't share EVAs, clothes and boyfriend with her?"

"Exactly, good third boy." Tsuka turn Shinji around and give him a light kiss on the cheeks.  With a smile, Shinji replied: "I am not a dog you know." 

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Tsuka countered: "I know, you are my boyfriend, now be a good boyfriend and make the bed, maybe I will give you an extra treat tonight."

Tempting at he was to say "woof" in response to Tsuka's comment, Shinji decide to shut off his SDAT and did what he was told, and a minute later, he got into bed with the red-haired girl. 

"You sure what are we doing is um, right?" Shinji asked tentatively.

"Well, like Misato said, no pregnancies, no foul. Now shut up and kiss me." 

Before Shinji could do so, the Shoji panel that separated his room and hallway opened again. Turning around, Shinji's heart sank while Tsuka begin to curse in German under her breath. 

For Asuka is standing by the hall.

"Annoying brat..." Tsuka cursed, but Shinji put his arms around her to prevent the fiery redhead from decking her younger sister. Before the German girl can ask why, Asuka collapsed in front of Shinji. 

"She shares your case of sleepwalking when stressed, remember?" Shinji replied. 

Tsuka relaxed, then lay back as she watch the third child put a blanket over her time-sister. But the unexpected happened. Instead of just sleeping, Asuka suddenly start crying and latched on to Shinji's neck like a vise.

"Onii-chan, don't leave me!" 

"Eep?" Shinji screeched in surprise. 

Ignorant of everything going on, the younger redhead continued: "Oh onii-chan, why did you have to die? I love you so…" the rest of her words were broken down into tears, it was not until a full five minutes later when the girl stopped crying.  But regardless, Asuka still refused to let Shinji go.  Sweat dropping in fear, Shinji crane his neck around, only to find Tsuka staring laser beams at him. 

"This is not how it should have happened." Tsuka comments as her eyes seem to bore through the third child. But thankfully, it is not rage but curiosity that now radiate through her eyes. "I don't remember having a brother."  

"Um…Tsuka? I can't get free." Shinji crooked. 

Tsuka first thought was to order Shinji to wake up her sister…then she saw how the drying tears on Asuka's face. While the redhead is not exactly the most empathic people around, she is extremely sensitive to her "own" suffering. Sighing loudly, Tsuka replied: "Just move her over here a little bit, I guess I don't have the mood for it anymore." 

When Shinji did what he was told, in a comical reminiscence of her first night here, Tsuka took her place and burrowed into his back his back while Asuka still had herself vise-locked to the third child's neck. 

Shinji, of course, was slightly embarrassed at the situation, but the experience of the past week allowed him at least to avoid another nosebleed (or, in his own private thoughts, he is convinced he is going crazy). Within moments, he fell asleep…with some interesting dreams. Tsuka, on the other hand did not sleep, instead, she reach into her mind and call out the XIA-implant. 

-Yo! You there?

-No, I am off cybering the Magi system, of course I am here, although did you know Casper is an screamer? And oh my god, next time I am going to logon I am going to have a four…

-Your sex life does not concern me, just don't get caught. Do you still have that NERV personnel file? Because I am beginning to have doubts about my own memory.

-Accessing, done. 

Within seconds, the XIA-computer brought up the requested files, within its bland text traced Asuka's sync scores (a few month old), her education, her life in the German university, the life and death of her mother (which surprise Tsuka greatly because as far as she can remember, her mother wasted away after an botched EVA test instead of dying in a accident) …and in exesiquite detail, the "spy suspect" known as Simon Illyan, adapted by her mother in the final months of her life, who died mysteriously on the same night as Kyoko Zeppelin Sohryu.

_This must be it, _Tsuka thought.

-Do you have a picture of Simon Illyan? 

-Yes…accessing…

Tsuka's heart sank at the image of the "spy suspect." 

_No, it cannot be, it is impossible. _ 

The picture, although a bit grainy since it came from a spy camera, clearly show a fifteen years old Shinji Ikari, holding an five-years-old Asuka.

------

Japanese Internal Affairs, Tokyo-3 Branch, later that night 

[Ok I cheated and did a short But NOT overpowering self-insert scene, but every futuristic story fan-fic author give in to this megalomania now and then right ;) ]

Being a field operative for so long, It had been years since Gerald [future Shinji] stepped in to the confines of the JIA Office. So when the summons came asking him, not Kaji, to report to the Tokyo-3 branch office, he quickly dressed up in something discreet and headed there. 

Like he guessed, the man he is suppose to see worked, or in Gerald's words, laired in the sub-basement-2 of the building. A uniformed Private waves a scanner in front of him and allowed him to enter the office of Colonel Xin. 

The Office is cleared in utilitarian bareness, with Colonel Xin sitting behind the only desk in the room, typing away furiously at something. From the surface, the man appear to be in his mid-20s, with a silver rimmed glasses covering his face and a conservative hair cut that remind one of those 90's dot-com hippies in uniform, a sight that would be completely comical if he did not sit behind a Japanese Internal Affairs desk. 

Without looking up, Colonel Xin waved a hand at the guard, who bow and left silently, closing the door behind him and leave the two men alone. 

Gerald push _his _glasses up a inch, "Good evening, Colonel, agent Kaji told me you want to see me." 

Xin look up, "Captain, I am not a mushroom." 

_To be fed with horseshit and kept in the dark, right. _Gerald silently complete the sentence for him. 

"Do sit down, captain," When Gerald [older Shinji] done so, he continued: "It has come to my attention your hand was part of a order that start a 'long term war-game maneuver' that put four Regiments of JSSDF within a thirty minutes strike radius from the city itself." 

"Yes sir."

"Captain Gerald Ion Rush, last time I checked, you are part of the Japanese civil security corps, specialize in breaking up Yakuza and other illegal cartels that threaten the peace and security of the emperor's citizens. Nothing, barring death, keep them from doing their job." 

"Yes sir." 

"An interesting organization, loyal, down to earth with the code of Bushido in their hearts, carry out their mission without a second thought, 'protect peace and keep harmony' is their motto. However, to a man, their power is limited to cracking down criminals and maybe the fate of their own department. With one exception, you, who seem to have the army in your back pocket, how do you explain it?" 

"How do I explain it?" Rolling his eyes backward, Gerald [future Shinji] thought of replying: " I never explain anything", but that was already 1) evident, 2) Not exactly the answer Xin is looking for. 

Gerald smiled blandly and manufactured some lies on the spot, "Nepotism, clearly. I am a distant relative of the Imperial family, third Generation removed, I use to play baseball with the Emperor and he introduce me to the chief of staff of the military a few years before." 

"Hm," Colonel Xin sat back and start staring at the ceiling "Barring your gajin name, Now, if you are an Covert OP agent here on a mission to save the world, you should arrived with some sort of _render all due assistance_ order, so a local man would not be surprised. AND Mr. Gerald, Internal affairs HATE surprises." 

"Yes sir," Gerald [Future Shinji] returned it with a razor thin smile, " So would anyone who see it." 

Xin rip his eyes from the ceiling at that remark: "Does the Headquarter suspect a leak in my communications?"

"Not I know of, of course, being a civil cop, I can't ask this kind of question can I." 

By the alarming expansion of his eyes, it would appear Xin caught the joke. 

"NERV is more than what it appear to the eye isn't it?" 

"Humm…?" Gerald gives an innocent smile. 

The line "we are not mushrooms" hovered heavily between the two men.

Biting his lips, Xin added: "I could add a philosophical observation." 

"Please do, sir."

"You do not hire a genius to solve the most difficult problems, then stick him with a lot of rules, and MM him from hundred of miles away. You set him on fire and turn him lose. If all you need is someone to follow orders, you can hire an idiot, in fact, idiots are MUCH better at those kind of jobs."

In a tone that would made lesser men's skin crawl, Xin asked: "Do you consider yourself to be a genius? Mr. Gerald?" In a rather freighting way, the image of a certain redhead asking the same question suddenly appear in Gerald's [future Shinji] head, usually the start of a nasty verbal trap. 

"My Intelligence evaluations are in the files, sir."

"I saw it, that is why we are having this conversation." Xin remove his glasses and begin to massage his eyes: "No rules AT ALL?"

"Well, there is one. deliver or have you butt kicked by an EVA." 

The second reference to NERV was not lost to the security officer, but at the same time, Gerald [future Shinji] shivered; the quote is too true, for if he fails, it is the third impact all over again. 

_Not while I still breath, DAD. _Gerald thought. 

"You have held your post for what? Six years? Your butt is still intact right?" 

"Last time I check behind, sir." For the next six months anyway…if the world ended, it would hardly matter…

"This suggests astonishing authority and autonomy." 

 "Not astonishing at all. The troops I command are the bare minimum of what I needed for this job. The rest is just responsibility." 

"Oh dear, well," Pursing his lips, Xin replied: " you have my sympathy captain, and um, when those troops actually go into operation, let me know ahead of time so we would minimize the butcher's bill, NERV certainly keep forgetting there are other people living in this city." 

"Sir, if I do not have utmost secrecy and freedom to deal with this problem, there wouldn't be anyone left to hold the butcher's bill." 

Eyes ballooning like saucers, Colonel Xin uttered: "Is it truly that bad?" 

"What I am aiming at is to an stop is a disaster that mankind have not seen since the Antarctica incident." _Yea, front row seats to the end of the world tend to make good evidence. _

"Is that so…" It look the good Colonel is fully aware of the truth behind THAT incident, at least, the non-official one. " I will see what I can do to help, the very least, I will make sure my boys will get out their way to avoid YOURS."

"Thank you sir, I will let you know if I need any help." Standing up, Gerald shake Colonel Xin's hand, pick up his coat and begin to walk out the door, as he reach the door, Xin cock an inquiring eyebrow at his guest: " I have one more question through, why Rouji Kaji? I read the files of your other agents, and they are quite…impressive, but Kaji-san is a low level insert to SLEELE, aim to discover what the organization is really doing behind that mulit-national budget, but if you think you know what is going on, and if it is that dire…there is no real reason to use him." 

"Well sir, sometimes, even a genius need someone who can follow orders."

And that is when power all over Tokyo went out…

-------

NERV HQ 

The normally brilliantly lit commander center is dark tonight as the city's primary power supply is mysteriously shut off. Except for the bridge crew, everyone already left for the night, leaving three men and two women huddled in a dark corner, busy looking for ways to get the Magi back online. 

"Gah! Power failure at the worst moment, just when I needed to go home and get my beauty sleep." Ritsuko complained to no one particular. 

"Well, it could be worse…" Maya Ibuki answered palatably as she typed away on her computer. 

"How?" Ritsuko asked in frustration.

"We could have a power failure and an Angel attack at the same time…" Shigeru Aoba

added from one of alcoves under the Bridge, a spanner and screwdriver in hand. 

"Hold on, I am picking up something from the short range censors, it is coded blue!" Makoto Hyuga, the other bridge bunny, shouted from his place in the computers. Cursing in languages too colorful for a G-rated fic, Ritsuko toss her notepad on to one of the comm consoles then reach for the phone. 

"Comon…Misato…pick up…" 

---------

Kaji's apartment 

The smell of sex, booze, and cheap cigrrate flood the air as two bodies entwined on the queen size bed. The sound of their last…exercise slowly dying away, Misato reach out for another can of Yeshibu…but the phone rang instead. 

"Good graces, who the heck is calling you at this ungodly hour?" Kaji complained groggily as he reaches for Misato's…um, never mind. {The author blushes}

 "Must be Shinji complaining about fights with Asuka again." Misato replied; not exactly true of course, since Shinji rarely complain about anything, if anything, he would keep it to himself rather than blurt it out, especially when it involved the second child(s). But his recent actions suggest there may be more to the boy than what meet the eyes, so without thinking, the drunk major grab the cell phone from the desk (after she mistaken the alarm clock and the beer bottle for it)

"Moshi, Moshi.." the woman on the other side call out.

"Oh cripes! Asuka, not you too! If you really want have fun with Shinji-kun, my condoms and birth controls are on in my bedroom, under the third drawer, I am working late night at NERV doing Ka…I mean the budgets, good night." 

And she proceeded to slam the phone down. 

----

NERV HQ 

Maya Ibuki's eye widen as Ritsuko, normally a bastion of unshakable serenity, slam the phone down. While her sempai is too cooled and controlled to actually turn purple or anything, but Maya would bet if she rig a blood pressure monitor on her Sempai, the device would be beeping in plaintive alarm right now.   

After several long and deep breaths, Ritsuko murmurs: "Call Shinji…"

------

NERV hangar, an hour later

"I can't believe I end up in the doll's EVA! And You! SHINJI! Tried to take advantage of me again!" Asuka screamed over the radio as Rei's EVA powered up. 

"Hey it is not my fault you forced me to sit in an EVA so you can go diving! And you know what? I have a better sync score than you." Tsuka retorted as she finish her EVA's startup procedure, reaching out with one giant hand, she pat Unit 00's blue head as if it is a little kid. 

"I am not a kid!" Asuka screamed, and if she were not immersed in LCL, there would be tears bursting from the corners of her eyes. 

"ALRIGHT YOU CHILDREN!" Ritsuko screamed over the Comm channel before the two redheads start the third Impact all by themselves, "Get to work, you are to recon in force for the Angel, Careful where you aiming, because the city cannot secure itself without power and that means a stray shot might injure or kill dozens of innocents right now. Our diesel generator will provide enough power for you to climb out, after that, you have…"

"Five minutes, yes we know." All three children replied in unison. 

-------

The Streets 

3:00 

"See anything?"  Asuka ask her co-pilots as her EVA clear the giant passage. 

"Nope, it is pitch dark around here." Shinji replied: "Switching to Mag-scan…ick!" 

"Let me guess, the baka blinded himself because he forgot we are in a city full of metal." Tsuka add in. 

"Hey Tsuka, do you…" Shinji tried to ask the older girl's experience, but instead a screeching sound flood the speakers, forcing everyone who is in hear range (include the NERV command personnel ) to throw their headphones in pain. 

"What did you that for?" Asuka and Shinji yelled in unison, then they saw Tsuka's mini-image appear on one of the comconsole, tapping her right ear. Both the second and third child got the message:

_We are being bugged, right. _

2:20

"I got it on Thermos-" Tsuka turn around to look at the street map from one of the side monitors, " it is between 35th st and 19th , flank maneuver from three sides?" 

"Nope! IT is MINE!" Asuka shot back, pulling her EVA to an high speed burn, she fire the EVA's jump jet and sent the blue-monstrosity flying onto one of the buildings. In a maneuver that remencient of her first EVA battle, Unit-00 leaped off the skyscraper and launch a diving attack at the Insectoid angel (who is busy spraying acid at a open manhole, just like last time). 

Just like the battle with the seventh. The overconfidence let to disaster as the Progressive Knife stuck the 9th Angel's AT field. Like a spring being compressed, the Blade press in, in…until it reach a critical point and sent the EVA flying backup, soaring over 01 and 02 until it landed heavily on its rear with its foots in the air, several hundred yards behind her companions. 

"Ok here is what we are going do.." Tsuka's voice bleed over the Com-channel: " You stay put, I am going to the other side, with my war lance, I will use it as a lever, and flip that bug over. It is A.T field cannot possibility cover its belly too or it wouldn't be able to spit all that gunk." 

"Right." Shinji quickly brought his EVA to a kneeling position, just as Tsuka made her EVA (well it was her EVA anyway) dash through the urban forest until it reappear several hundred feet away behind the Angel. 

2:14 

"Ready hon?" Tsuka whisper through the Com channel. 

Smiling broadly, Shinji brought his right hand to his solar plexus and saluted. 

2:12

The Red EVA dash forward with its lance drawn, just as the eight-legged angel turned around.  

2:10 

The Angel raise its chest and launch a stream of acid at the incoming EVA, but Tsuka made her EVA dive to one of the side streets, escaping most of the blast in the process, but the complete dissolution of her right arm's armor remained a testament of the 9th angel's strength. 

2:05 

Seeing the Angel distracted, Shinji order his EVA to use its Sandalphon-improved right arm to throw a cone of flames at the angel, just as Asuka got Unit-00 back up. The spray of atomized heat wave splattered against the Angel's weaker AT field, shattering it from behind and dug deeply into its back. 

2:02 

Unit-00 dash past Unit-01 at maximum speed, using the cover provided by Shinji's open volley, the Blue EVA swing its progressive knife at the giant bug. Unused to Rei's controls, Asuka made the EVA trip but manage to slash off more than half of the Angel's legs on the left side just as her EVA collapsed on the ground. 

1:55

Howling in pain, the 9th angel redouble back, using its remains legs to propel its chest into the air, the Angel open its chest cavity for another acidic splash, but Asuka manage to roll her EVA to the Angel right. Overreaching itself, the splash of acid missed, but back blast propelled the bug-angel into one of the buildings, belly up. 

1:50 

Before anyone can react, Unit-02 charge into the scene with and plunged its war lance right into the opening cavity in the EVA's chest…screaming in pain, the Angel tried to flail free, but Tsuka order the EVA to hold on. And predictably, the Angel exploded. 

1:30

Asuka, Tsuka and Shinji respectively brought their EVAs' back online, looking around, they see only a smoking crater remained where the 9th angel was. All the glass within three miles are shattered and several buildings nearby were destroyed, but thankfully non of them were residential buildings. 

"Well, we manage to get another Angel." Shinji commented as he shut off everything except the life support systems of his EVA.

"With a minute and half to spare too." Asuka added. 

"So what we do now?" Tsuka asks. 

  
 Shinji opens his palm at the Comm channel at the two sisters, "we wait for the rescue crew?" 

Asuka, impatient as ever, screamed out: "If you think I am going stay in this tube until the morning, then you are crazy, third child." 

  
Without another word, she press a button on her control panel, ordering the EVA to eject the entry plug…the device hummed…then stop working. 

"Damnit! You piece of crap! Stupid doll's stupid EVA!!" Asuka screamed out in fury, again.

Shinji thoughtfully frowned, " You know, does that entry plug ever eject correctly?"

Tsuka simply shake her head, after a brief pause, she added: " So what are we going to do until the morning? They don't have Internet or the TV on this tube."   
  
 "I suppose I can tell some jokes, hey God, an Angel and a EVA walk into a bar…"

"SHINJI! BAKA!" Both girls shouted, one jokily, on angrily at the third child.

And that end another Angel.

----- 

School next morning 

It is lunchtime in for the 9th graders inTokyo-3 district high school, which is filled with the aroma of Government issued lunch and speculations of last night's power failure and the night battle that result in the destruction of the new shopping mall that was suppose to open up later this month. Toji, bored as usual, spent his time eating the lunch Hikari made for him, until he saw a vision of someone familiar trying to sneak pass him. 

Toji raise his arms and wave at his friend, who desperate tried to hide amount the sci-fi otaku crowd,"Hey Kensuke, you are right on time! Come over here and sit with me." 

Noticing his plan to remain anonymous failed, Kensuke sighed and gather his tray and did so. As the Otaku came closer, Toji realize there is something different about his friend. The boy appeared to be limping a little as he approached him, and there seem to be a few marks on his neck. After some closer observations…

"Is that a bite mark?" Toji exclaimed as he fought to hold of a bout of laughter.  

With an icy glare that could freeze water, Kensuke replied: "No it is not a bite mark, I just had a nasty accident with a flight of stairs…repeatly." (with the last word murmured under his breath) 

Toji's voice begin to breakup as he put the 2 plus 2 together, "You mean! You and her! Did it! OH my F****ing god!" 

Kensuke blush until his faced turned redder than Asuka's hair: " You really need to get your mind out the gutter you know. Nothing happened, I swear," Looking around for a distraction, he found it in the form of the third child (still wearing his plug-suit) walking through the door, "Hey look! Is our friend Shinji!" 

Hearing his voice been mentioned, the third child walk over to join his fellow stooges. 

As he approached the table, both boys wrinkle their nose. 

"Geez man, I am not picking on you or anything," Toji complained, "But you smell as if you just walked out a slaughter house." 

Regardless Toji's aforementioned disclaimers, Shinji blushed and start apologizing, "Sorry, sorry, so sorry, I just spent my last eight hours or so in a bottle of uncirclated LCL, so it smells after awhile, they just got me out the entry plug like thirty minutes ago and just started to work on breaking Asuka and Tsuka free, I went on ahead but the traffic still made me miss the morning lectures."

Kensuke, glad the attention is now off him, push his glasses and replied: "Well friend, you really didn't miss much. The sensei was teaching about the second Impact again, and some basic physic premiers."

Unfortunely, the comment brought Shinji's unholy attention upon the otaku. Looking down at his friend, Shinji's eyes slightly widened at the sight bite/nail marks on his friend's neck, "I was not aware Rei kept her nails long."

Toji smiled sagely at Kensuke, "If Shinji said it, then it must be true, so fess up." 

Blushing near the point of going purple, Kensuke manufactured a new lie on the spot hoping to distract his two friends, "Well when I got back, Rei found my pictures of Asuka in the showers, and she thought I might actually like the devil, so she started a fight with me." Pausing to collect his breath, "Let me tell you, it is always the quiet ones."

But the other two stooges remain unconvinced. Shinji, of all people, dismiss Kensuke's words out right, "Girls may claw you if they get mad, heaven, I know Asuka enjoys making a scratching post off my back," smiling slyly as if to recall certain pleasant memory," but they don't bite, not over there any way…SO Fess up!" 

Sweat dropping furiously, the boy Otaku did what is the only thing reasonable to preserve his Prozac-deprived sanity…run. Smiling to each other, the other stooge left their trays aside and started the pursuit. 

  
-----

Misato's car (a hour or two later)

As Misato got out the car to explain to the traffic officer that it was the school bus driver that was traveling on the wrong lane, Tsuka whispered to her sister, "Hey, when we get home, do you want take a shower together?"

{Boy, the Lemon writers could have a field day over this-Author}  
  
Normally, this would invoke a verbal firestorm from Asuka that would be able to peel the bark off a tree, but since this is really herself speaking, Asuka decide to give the other girl the benefit of a doubt (after all, Tsuka did save her), "why?"  
  
 "I am too tired to get this LCL gunk out of my hair alone. And also," reducing her voice to the point of whispering, "Do you remember the one who was named Simon Illyan?"

"Onii-Chan! How did!" but Tsuka was a step quicker and put her around her younger version.

"Be quite! I will explain everything," tapping her right ear with the familiar signal to show that they are not alone, Tsuka smiled and said: " MY Sync score is better than yours! And for that I am getting the cute red EVA!" 

Catching cue, Asuka playful jab the other girl on the shoulder and pouted: "No you are not! And don't call my EVA cute!" 

And outside, Misato screamed something to the effect that she is a Government official and normal traffic laws don't apply to her…

t.b.c 

PLEASE READ BELOW

At this point I have a serious issue for the readers. 

I have reach the crossing point that I don't know what to do next…I mean, there are two scenario in my mind (excuse the pun), one would involve an accelerated series of events, and end this fic in five chapter or less but provide an resounding ending because I don't have to drag my foot all the way through the 17th angel. The other Senerario is that it will continue all the way through the 17th angel to provide a longer story for more fan-fic material (I may think up interesting things as I go along), but the drawback it may appear that I am doing a story drag (DBZ, Keshin and the various Gundam spawn are good example of over story drag, i.e screwing up the original characters to make more money, or in this case, more reviews).

What do you think, as readers want? Short or Long? Sent me a review or Email with your opinion so I can decide before the next update. 

SECONDLY!

Notice in chapter 10, I had only 8 reviews, with four of them from my inner circle of supporters (I.e folks who get my Email about this fic on a daily basis), and I updated in five weeks. 

Yet in chapter 11 I got 16+ reviews, and I updated in less than one week….hint, hint.


	13. Blank

This is a blank page, please click next and go to the next chapter. 

If Rei is a magic card….

Rei Ayanmi             2blue blue 

  
Summon creature-angel spawn

If this creature is sent to the graveyard

From play, you may draw two cards

And search a new copy of Rei from your

Deck and put it into your hand.

0: Rei gain flying until end of turn

0: Untap EVA-00 

                                           2/2 


	14. Gendo's revenge, part 1

Disclaimer: I disclaim all legal responsibility for writing this story. 

The Asuka/Shinji/Tsuka Lemon is being delayed now because my minion bailed out. (From Slayer: AMEN!)

Sorry about the late update, but I had four term papers and I needed sometimes to study Gendo. 

WARNING: Due to popular consent, Lime scented scenes coming up, they are very suggestive but not hentai. If you feel you can't stomach it, hit back space right now^-^;;

You have been fairly warned. NOTE THE R RATING! IF ANYONE COMPLAINS, TELL me via EMAIL. Yes, you anti-ecchi purist out there, ok, so the shower scene border a little hentai, but that is the price my pre-reader team put on this fic when they agreed to work with me. 

Marco, you got me into this, so you are taking the flak if the readers react violently.  

Chapter 13: Gendo's revenge, part I 

NERV HQ, Commander's office

Two hours since the Angel attack. 

Commander Gendo Ikari was the never one for dark offices, but being the leader of an infamous secret organization, it is written in the manuals that he must have an extremely dark office. It make good, positive morale boosting effects for employees giving reports. 

In other words, it terrified the daily heck out of them. 

"So explain to me what happen to the team that was sent to retrieve the first Child." Gendo commanded, a glint of fury in his eyes.

Sweating profusely, the section 2 chief removed his sunglasses with one hand and start to massage his eyes: "We found team 3 literally swimming with the fishes, sir. Someone drove them off the harbor pier sometime last night, during or perhaps before the Angel battle. The initial autopsies reveal all members apparently to be strangled by some kind of constrict, a cable, a rope, or maybe a thick wire. There were small puncturing alone the path of strangulation, suggesting some kind of rope with embedded spikes."   
  
Commander Ikari's voice went ice: "I see."

"And um, there is more." 

Gendo raise an eyebrow, silently asking, no, daring his subordinate to speak. 

"Each one of them, had an rose in their mouth." 

Gendo, GREATLY to his credit, still did not lose his temper. But even in the dark, the Section 2 chief noted the man's gloved hand slowly tighten into an fist, as if strangling his neck by proxy. The violent twitching of his left eye didn't help either. 

"Captain, leave me." 

"Yes sir." 

Smiling bitterly as he watch the Intelligence chief vanish beyond the doorway, Gendo press a button on the comconsole, calling forth Dr. Akagi. As the blonde woman's face fill the screen, Gendo tap a series of keys and activated the Anti-listening devices in his office.

"Is this line secure?" Gendo asked. 

Nodding her head gravely, Ritsuko replied: "Yes sir, what can I do for you?"   

"What have you learned from this 'cloned second child'?" 

"Well, I manage to get a skin sample of her right after the last angel battle, and her DNA matches the second child perfectly. There are some discrepancies, however." 

  
Pushing his glasses a bit back, Gendo give a nod to allow Ritsuko to continue.

"Well, there seem to be a small amount of silica in her skin, not ON her skin, but embedded in her skin, they decayed before I could run more tests, it is almost they were sentient or something. Also, in a whim, I tried to carbon date it and compare to the current sample we have on the second child since the last sync-test."

"And?"

"Well, the 'clone's' skin is actually between six-eight months older than our second child." 

"WHAT?" Gendo exclaimed, " Are you telling me that our second child is the clone all along?" 

The blonde woman shrugged, "I don't know what to tell you, but that is one logical explanation. The skin sample definitely disproves the 'long lost twin' theory. Even if the skin sample test is incorrect, there is no way a twin can have identical DNA, it is just…impossible." 

Exhaling heavily, Gendo made a silent prayer to Yui, then begin to recollect his thoughts of the last four years. The repeat defeats in the hand of an unknown saboteur, the destruction of fourteen NERV bases, the complete stalling of the dummy plug project by the theft of Rei clones, the loss of Rei herself, it all hinted of an insider job…yes, he should seen it a long time ago, but he trusted everything on a sentient computer, made by a untrustworthy whore…

After a long pause, Gendo look at the screen again, where Ritsuko is tapping on her screen, as if saying "HELLO?? Earth to Ikari."  

"Dr. Akagi, there is something I want you to do for me."

"Yes sir?"   
  
 "I want you to separate NERV's computer network into separate banks, one for day-to-day administration, including the EVA maintenance and research, the other shall be completely disconnected from the system…all physical linkage, all media connection, down to the last optical-fiber cable, shall be removed." Gendo count off a list of departments and sub-sections as well as several classified document achieves, which Ritsuko take down with her usual efficiency, but her eyes widen with each command, "And finally, I want you to change to encoding algorithm for ALL the computer systems." 

The encoding algorithm is the basic hardware coding sequence for the Magi system (and by extension, the entire base) to spit out passwords based on the year, mouth, week, hour down to the seconds of current time, it is changed every sixteen hours to prevent hacker attacks, something Nakato, it is inventor, claimed it is fool proof. 

_The passwords change, but not the algorithm themselves_. Gendo thought.

"But sir, to do this we have to shut down NERV…we could be paralyzed, this…is an impossibility large task…you need an whole army of encoders for a year to do this."   
  
-----

Ritsuko's office 

"If your mother could do it, so could you. Take whatever resources you need this, but keep the personnel count small. Ikari out." And the screen went black. 

Snarling furiously at the unspoken implication, Ritsuko slammed her fist on her desk, spilling the mug of coffee that was sitting on her desk in the process, cursing in words that would make a sailor blush, she jump out her seat to avoid the steaming liquid while reaching out with one hand to grab several critical documents from the approaching black tide. 

The partially opened door widen behind her, and a worried Maya Ibuki walk in. 

"Are you ok, Sempai? I heard a bang as a I walk by and I thought you might have hurt yourself." 

Ritsuko opened her mouth to tell her fellow co-worker the only one who is getting hurt is Gendo Ikari, but instead she close her mouth and begin to smile mischievously: "No, I am alright, it is just I need ran into some problems, problems that require your special expertise."  

Maya begin to look a bit perplexed, somewhat scared, but more than a little excited: "What do you need, Sempai?" 

Walking behind her self-appointed younger sister, Ritsuko press the button by her door and then closed the door and lock it from the inside, and if anyone past by, they would see the "do not disturb" message flashing by the intercom outside the door, "Just relax,"

The blonde woman smiled, "and do what I tell you, I can guarantee you are a natural at this."

[She means doing the dirty work of remodeling NERV computer system of course, what are you thinking? Hentai?-author]

-------------

Back to Gendo's office…

As the blonde doctor' image vanish from the screen, Gendo press a new command on his comconsole and active a new link. Within a few seconds, Chairman Keel appeard on the static filed screen. 

_The man is ancient, he seem to be a mummified corpse than the leader of one of the most powerful secret organization ever. _Gendo thought. _One more reason to be on your guard. _

"What can I do for you, Ikari?" Keel asked in a heavily German accent, his eyes hidden by his visors, preventing Gendo from discerning the man's true emotion. 

"Let's just say I had an revelation, and now I…see the light."  
  
 "Oh?" the chairman tried to sound uninterested, but he failed to completely to hide his fascination…barely.

"I pledge my own effort, 100% to your version of the HCP." 

Smiling evilly, the SLEELE mastermind replied: "As I recall, you made the same promise when you ENTERED the organization, are you suggesting…"  
  
With a wave of his gloved hand, Gendo cut the accusation of treason off: "You know well as I do what I am suggesting, now, let us deal with the present threats to the scenario." 

Chairman Keel nodded gravely, "Yes…I have read the reports." 

Removing his glasses, Gendo added: "I will need some equipments, lots of equipment, enough for NERV to be able to stand against a siege, in addition to that, I need soldiers, lots of them. I have reason to believe my own are riddled with traitors." 

That got Keel's attention. Over the years, Ikari had vetoed all SLEELE's effort to insert their own personnel into the Tokyo-HQ, thus effectively preventing SLEELE from infiltrating the Geofront. The implication that Ikari believe that another threat is so great that he is willing to risk having his autonomy taken over, is startling. 

"Very well, I will speak to the committee about the matter… send me a list and we will see that you get what you needed."

Tokyo-3 district high school 

The gross error of wearing a plug suit to school finally begin to dawn to the third child (most classes were in session when he first came in). Apparently, to certain females, or rather, to all of them all the general area, it has the unnatural effect of attracting them toward him. As Shinji and Toji dashed out the cafeteria in pursuit of Kensuke, the two boys were mobbed by a small horde of adoring females. 

"Sempai, Wow! Is that what you wear during battles against those Angels?"

  
"Hi, My name is Mana Kasharina.." 

"I am Chipple…"   
  
"I am Irene…"

"I am big fan of yours…" 

"I love you so much…"

"My name is Vera…"

"Would you like to eat my lunch with me?"

"Give up that gajin hoe Shinji…" 

"Beat it twit!" 

"Bring it on! Ho!" 

The situation quickly became very messy. Being a psychologically disturbed child (even with Tsuka's 'lessons'), Shinji quickly became overwhelmed in the presence of so many chest heaving, eye-lashes batting, lips-licking young ladies. Panicking in fear, Shinji turned around for his jock friend's help…only to see Hikari dragging Toji by his ear away from the crowd. 

"It must be the LCL, they mess up female braaaaaaain…." Toji's voice trailed off as the cafeteria door slammed behind the class Rep and the Jock. Turning around over a sea of varied colored female hair, he found Kensuke standing on the stairs taping everything with his video camera. 

"Like Rei-chan said, resistance is futile! Enjoy Shinji!" Laughing sarcastically, the Otaku throw a salute at the beleaguered third child, then disappeared from view as the fan girls resume their onslaught. 

------------------Now, our featured fan-service, I mean presentation----------------

You have one last chance, press page down until you reach the other cut off line if you do not want read this. 

You have been warned

 Katsuragi residence 

"Ok Children, I have to go fill out after-action reports, be nice and don't do stress Shinji out too much when he come home, he need his rest too, he is the best cook after all." A haggled Misato push the Asuka twins into the apartment, before either girl can reply, the Major already dash in and out the kitchen with a Yeshibu in hand. 

Both girls, despite their own weariness, flash a Sohryu killer smile at their guardian at the mention of the third child, "Don't worry! We won't, we will be nice to Shinji!"

Misato simply replied with an evil look, a shake of head, then close the door behind her. After a long pause, both girls sighed in relief and begin to make small conversation for the possibility of NERV listeners. 

"Alright, lets hit the showers." 

"Agreed, I need to peel this plug suit off me."

"Ow, ow, ow, I feel like the plug suit is glued to my skin." 

After several tries, both girls manage to get rid their red-skin suit. Dressed in their birthday suits, both girls grab a towel (red of course) and walk into the shower. 

Much to Pen^2's bad luck, it was floating in the tub as the Sohryu twins walk in. After a thunderstorm of profanities that would peel the armor off an EVA, the Penguin uncermonially ejected from the bathroom, and slam into Shinji's… 

As both girls settle themselves into the tub with shower nuzzling over their pretty redheads, the two girls take turn soaping each other in the censored and censored and of course, censored. After several moments when both girls are sufficiently covered with white bubbles, Asuka inquired: "So what do you know about onii-chan?" 

Instead of answering, Tsuka pulled out a 2" X 2" digital print out from her towel, while it smeared with LCL and quite wrinkled, it never the less display a very young Asuka with a boy about 15. At the sight of the picture, Asuka's eye being to water and she held her hands together as if having a religious experience. 

"Simon-chan…" the younger girl sighed. 

"Now look at this picture." Tsuka produce the second printout, a picture that both girls recognize clearly as the scene from Cruise "Over the rainbow," with Shinji doing the V for victory sign at the cameraman, most likely to be Kensuke.   
  
 "Look Familiar?" Tsuka teased. Indeed, except for the difference in the lights coming out their eyes, both boys would be splitting image of each other. 

A long silence followed; then Asuka leaped up from the bathtub, splashing water and ruining both photograph in the process "You mean Simon-Chan is, onii is…SHINJI!!!" 

"Yup, you were mooning over my Shinji actually." Tsuka laughed understandably. 

"What do you mean he is yours!" Asuka screamed in the usual Langley way, surprised at her own outburst. But she managed to calm down a bit and her face acquired a sad look... "But... he's dead now... "   
"I wouldn't be so sure, I also found out that the Munich city morgue was firebombed the very night mother" - it was Tsuka's turn to look sad... - "and your "brother" died. Those responsible were never caught and very little remained of the place... say of any bodies that might be in it."   
Tsuka's mouth opened in a smile. "My Shinji left the warp gate with a very stiff spine and a serious urge to hurt his father. Did you know Nerv suffered a string of 'accidents' in the last four years, some at the highest levels? Put two-and two together…"   
"You mean..."   
"Yeah, I think he's alive out there, someone must have helped him back ten years ago and maybe still is."   
"But why wouldn't he contact me?!"   
"Probably to protect you... and himself. People don't look for the dead."   
These news let Asuka all agitated again. "I, I cannot believe this, Shinji, Simon, Simon, Shinji" as the girl came closer and closer to hyperventilation, she begin to swing at the air around her in confusion. Then she slips and trips... 

And landed right on top of Tsuka. 

As both girls' breasts borrow into each other, either girls could move, and in a replay resembling the Rei/Shinji scene months earlier, minutes past as Asuka and Tsuka just collapsed on top of each other, breathing the same peppermint air. 

"Tsuka?" the top red-haired girl inquired, blushing madly... 

"What?" 

"Get your fingers out of "there"! Both of them!" the younger girl screeched. 

Tsuka, perhaps a bit lightheaded from the recent EVA attack, plain bored, want to distract her younger "sibling" or truly harbor unusual sexual tendencies after surviving the Third Impact, instead did the exactly the opposite. 

Asuka gasped in surprise. 

"What kind of freak are you, you can't possible be me, not even…." Asuka's voice broke as Tsuka went even further... 

Smirking like devilishly like her namesake, Tsuka replied "what is the matter, you seem to be a little tense…" 

Grasping air as the pleasant distraction becoming more insistent, the younger girl tried to break free, but her own body is refusing. "You, you, you freak…" 

"I am a freak? Then what does that make of you? After all," moving her hands away from Asuka's body and then pointing at her, "I know for an fact that I, no we enjoyed this." 

Slowly failing on back to the water on her knees, the younger redhead can only utter "but…" 

Tsuka raise her eyebrows in amusement, reaching Asuka's body for another "attack", "But what?" 

"But it is different!" Asuka countered. 

"How? Don't they call it 'play with yourself?' is that any different than what are we doing right now?" 

"But you are playing with me, which is incest!" [not really but hey, they are pretending to be sisters, right? ;) the author]

"Noooo, I am playing with myself, in fact... and I am having an great time…I think of this as…" - Tsuka whispers the technical name for the action of "playing with herself" into Asuka's ears... 

Seeing physical lines crumple, Asuka went back to her elementary mental defense when it comes down to intercourse: "You hentai pervert!" 

Smiling broadly as her opponent's final trump card showed up (Hey she knows), Tsuka rack up the pressure and hemmed innocently, "Who is a pervert?" 

Asuka's words become increasingly ragged, "[censored words], you…I…[censored groaning]" 

Tsuka's smile got even broader, "This is going to be fun…" 

_And the capital fall!_ The older redhead added mentally. 

Asuka begin to laugh too, "Dammit, you know, if somebody learns about this, especially baka Shinji…." 

With her eyes sparkling, Tsuka countered: "since when do Shinji-kun gets a say in what we wants?" 

"Never!" Asuka laughed. 

"Now let us get back to what we were doing, it is your turn…" 

[lots and lots of actions, but some other writer would put it in for me later, as well at a different website (check the review section for it because I cannot insert links in the chapter itself), and BTW, this fic do NOT imply Asuka is actually bi-sexual, I mean, she is playing with herself, abit from a different time zone.]

-------------------------------------End fan service----------------------------

Tokyo-3 Second Impact memorial, near sunset that day

 Gerald Ion Rush [future Shinji] marched into the memorial with a banquet of roses in hand. He goes through with this ritual every year since he came back to Tokyo, one day after of his father and his younger-self. As the Spymaster went past the thousands upon thousands of graves, all those who perished during the second Impact or the years shortly afterwards, the secret agent's heart grew heavier and his steps slow down until he stopped at one grave marker in particular, like many others, this one does not have a body buried under it.

Yui Ikari 1977-2004 

Scientists, WIFE

She gave her life for science. 

She will be remembered. 

Gerald re-read the marker over and over, searching for the word "mother", but he could not find anything. Shrieking in anger, he squeeze the banquet of rose until the thorns pierced his black gloves and blood begin to drip from his fingers. 

"How could I forgive father, Mother? When he denies my very existence?" Gerald asked. 

When the headstone didn't respond, Gerald made a formal bow to the grave; "Three billion lives drown in blood if I am weak." The same vow every year. The thousands upon thousands of markers give him the strength to steel his heart for what must be done.

"If you only know what I have to do, mother, you would hate me, but I cannot allow my father's mad dream come to pass…if I cannot have your blessing, then at least I pray for your forgiveness."

Without another word, Gerald turned around and head for the exit. He could not afford to linger very long; Section 2 might wonder who he is, and why is he loitering around the commander's wife's grave; and the roses can leave similar suspicions.

As Gerald [future Shinji] approach the cemetery gate, he found a young woman in her mid 20s's standing by it. Dressed in a conservative tuxedo with a banquet of roses in her hand, the woman radiate an unearthly beauty, her hair glinted like molten honey, masses of it that poured down her shoulders, when the wind blows, it would fly like a banner. Her eyes were ice blue, her skin alabaster. Men of the old religion had worshipped on their knees icons far less glorious, in beaten silver and hammered gold, and it is sheer force of will that prevent Gerald from falling to _his _knees. After a long pause, "Lady, um, are you here to mourn someone, too?"

The woman smiled calmly: "No, I am here to see you." Reaching up with her free hand, she brush a side her hair and reveal a blue elongated diamond.

"Ah, so you are one of Peorth's friends?"

"Yes, She and I worked together well, Mr. Illyian." She replied offhandedly, as if Gerald's deepest secreted is common gossip.

"Ah, you have me at a disadvantage," _A major disadvantage, _Gerald [future Shinji] silently added while opening an inquisitive hand, "you are Ms…"

"Mrs., but names are not important, since I don't believe we will ever speak again."    

That statement nearly wrench Shinji's heart from his chest, but he smiled never the less, "I am sorry to hear that, lady, so you are here to help me?" 

"Not in the sense Peorth has, or my sisters will, I am here to set your mind at rest."

Shinji raised in eyebrow in curiosity, "Oh? Then preach on, Chaplain." 

"Your mother is proud of you, but she wishes you and father can reconcile with each other."

"There is nothing to reconcile between the two of us!" Gerald [future Shinji] snapped, "He want to destroy to this world!"

"He wanted to be with your mother again, he wanted everyone who perished in the second impact to be reunited," the lady explained kindly, "but his methods, may be questionable." 

"But does not make it right, regardless his intentions, the end result will be nothing short of apocalypse."

The mysterious beauty nods in agreement: "I am not here to prevent you from doing what you think that must be done, I am just showing you his prospective."

Gerald push his glasses a bit more up his nose and answered, "Intentions doesn't count, the road to hell, after all, are all paved with good intentions." 

The blonde girl sighed in disappointment, "Not quite, but I am sorry if you think that way." 

Gerald sighed, "I am sorry too, but mankind must be allowed to choose its own destinies, I cannot allow a party of few to choose it for them."

The young woman nodded again in acknowledgement. "I understand. Kami-sama would approve."

"You are a religious woman? Ms?" Gerald asked in curiosity. 

"You can say that," the woman smiled again, "I see you believe in god too."

"Only in the sense he does not care about me or despise me, otherwise he would halt my father's and Keel's mad scheme wayyy before it happened."

Without another word, Gerald toss the blooded roses into a garbage can and walked ahead, leaving the blonde by the cemetery gate. As he disappeared from sight, the girl lean her back to the wall and whispered: "You are wrong, Mr. Ikari. The very fact Peorth is working with you means god does care, in fact, he is guaranteeing your success."

-----

Kaji's apartment, later that night.

"Hemm…this is interesting…" Kaji type another command into the machine, and it spit out some new data concerning NERV and SLEELE. "Major revisions under place, all units are placed on a need to know basis? Headquarter communications encryption code under review? What is going on?" 

Main while, in one the rooms in the building directly across to where Kaji lived, a man dressed in black with a "Seven-eyes" shoulder-patch pulled out a sniper scope from his briefcase and mount it onto his Dragnov. 

Typing in a new command, Kaji active the codes Gerald give him; but instead of breaking into Magi, the command prompt blinked: "File not found."

----

NERV HQ Communication room

A dozen Holograms appeared in a circle in front of Gendo, except for Keel, the others appeared only in a monolith with their respective numbers on. In the center of the table, lies a hologram with Kaji working on his Computer, his words clear to everyone in the room as if the man is right there.   

SLEELE 02: So Mr. Kaji is really a member of the Japanese Internal affairs. 

  
SLEELE 03: Indeed, he has been proven to be quite troublesome for his rank. 

SLEELE 04: His access to our systems is…incredible. 

SLEELE 09: What do you think, Ikari?   
  
Gendo, like usual when dealing with the committee, simply replied emotionlessly: "Someone has supplied him with internal information, that fool could not have reached this far without help."

SLEELE 04: So there is a traitor. 

SLEELE 11: We will find him or her eventually, there are other fishes that are already in our sight, that does not have close access to the Japanese Internal affairs.

SLEELE 06: I will see to it the affair does not investigate his death. 

Chairman Keel smiled, then clap his hand once: "So it is decided." Without anyone answering, he pressed a button on his desk. 

-----

Kaji's apartment 

The sniper inserted a single bullet into the rifle; the Armored piercing Sabot-round is painted blood red, a good omen, the man thought. Chairman Keel has given him an order, and now it is his duty to carry it out. 

Kaji typed another command into the system, and this time, the computer spit back a new screen. The spy claps his hand happily, then lean forward to read the classified bulletin. It is a plan that calls for two teams, one Section-2 and one SLEELE, elite hit teams to attack two locations in the city. 

The assassin cocked his rifle, and zoomed in with the sniper rifle until it focus on Kaji's profile, his opponents was smart enough to put on curtains at night, but the Infrared Scope gave him away as if he was outlined in neon. In an almost lazy fashion, the SLEELE specialist brought the rifle down until it pointed at the traitor's back, directly at his heart.  

Kaji read the attack plans on his screen and gulped in fear, the spy realized one of the addresses belong to the team's safe house, the other was his.   
  
They are going after me. 

Before he can think of anything else, the assassin pulled the trigger.

t.b.c 

I just wrote out the remaining chapter's summaries, and four chapters and the ending are left on the roll (Including a beach party with all seven Reis!) , don't worry, they are quite long. please remember the BROAD hint I left in the last chapter, and the review bar is just to the bottom of this page, hint, hint, again. 

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	15. blank page

Blank page. Please click on "next." Thank you, have a good day.   


	16. Gendo's revenge, part II

Finally! College is over (For two weeks anyway)!!! WOOT!!! 

Sorry Vader, but I could not D/L your edited version, stupid hotmail…

Disclaimer: I do not own EVA, any of Shinji's commando's that bear resemblance to characters in other anime is a complete coincidence. 

Chapter 14: Gendo's revenge, part II

Kaji's Apartment 

Just as Kaji ceased his breathing at the sight of his own termination order, the assassin fired from the other building, in less than .04 of a second, the red sabot round pierce the heavy curtain and shatter the glass, striking Kaji in the back and came out the other side. Goggling in blood, the secret agent was flung forward and smashed his head into the monitor screen then bounced backward, toppling over the chair he was sitting on then collapsed on the floor. 

As blood flowed freely from his mouth, Kaji tried to get back up, with one hand clawing the air for anyone, anything…and touched something perversely soft. 

"Hey Kaji, shame on you, what would Misato think." 

With all of his remaining strength, Kaji twisted his neck around to see the source of the voice: a gorgeous woman in her late 20s with flowing platinum blonde hair and chocolate skin, she wore an pseudo-traditional Chinese dress that reveal an pair of beautiful legs and ample bosoms that just tempt any nearby male to dive in for the winter, Kaji would have done so, if he did not have a bullet hole in his chest…

"Ugh…" Kaji grunted. 

"Humm? What was that?" the woman bent over with one hand holding her ear.

"Damn you…" The secret agent/womanizer tried to reply, but further words were lost as a fresh stream of blood burst from his lips. 

"Hummp…" the woman pursed her lips and hummed, "ah, yes, all the blood may be impeding your speech, here, let me deal with that problem." Reaching into her blouse, she removed a small vial of red liquid. Popping the cork, the scarlet content inside bubbled and hissed evilly. Without further ado, the woman jammed the bottle's content down his throat. 

As the darkness finally claimed him, the only words that passed in Kaji's mind were, "No! Not the…" 

--------

Misato's office, three nights later 

Misato was reading some reports concerning the last Angel attack when the E-mail came in. The teams responsible for cleaning the destruction caused by the last Angel battle were almost done and the Eva units are ready for combat. She put the reports aside and opened up the Email, a request by Ritsuko to perform a "special Sync test" with the children later that night. They will not be very happy with the timing of this test interrupting their sleeping cycles/favorite TV programs, and when Misato finished reading she knew they would be even less pleased when they learn the details, especially Asuka... 

EVA Hangar, some time later 

The locker room trembled as a certain redhead's wailed in fury, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO GO DO THE SYNC TEST NAKED! In the middle of the night no less!"

"Now, Now," Misato replied with her motherly it-is-not-my-fault voice, "Ritsuko want to run some tests, she believe that your plug suits may be generating some kind of interference that may be eliminated."   

"Interference!!!!" the younger girl screamed, "When I get my hands on that voyeuristic slut I will show her Interference! **************Shinji will see me naked! He will probably get horny about it and attack me!!! What I do! What I do!!!" 

With a hand covering her yawn, Tsuka unstrapped the hooks to her bra and replied, "Well it is not like he never saw it before." 

That statement caught the other two women off guard, but before either female can make some sort of coherent reply, Tsuka tossed her panty aside and walk into the showers, leaving a fuming "younger self" behind. Screaming in curses that are too horrible to be documented in this R-rated Fic, the younger girl literally ripped her remaining clothes off and dash after her older "sister", leaving a befuddled (and sweat dropping) Misato behind.   
  
 "I need a beer. No, I need two beers AND earplugs." 

---- 

A few minute later.

The elevator opened with a "Ding" sound, and the third child stepped off the elevator, literally butt-naked. Looking around, he saw nothing but a 20 feet wide corridor, obscured by the chemical rain.

"Ok children," Dr.Agaki's voice flowed over the speakers, "In this experiment, we are testing to see if the plug-suits you are wearing are interfering with your sync ratios,"

"And what?" Asuka answered testily, "You are going to make us go into battle butt-naked if we score higher?" 

"IF this experiment is successful, yes." Dr.Agaki answered emotionlessly, although if one happened to be standing next to her and watching her carefully, they would notice a small smirk that is artfully covered by her clipboard. "We will cut the videos to ensure your privacies, alright, you may begin when you are ready." 

Before Shinji could take a step forward, one of the redheads called out from the chamber to his left: "Ok third boy! Forward march! If you turn around or I see you getting horny, your dead!" 

"Yes! Mein fuehrer!" Shinji replied with a mock salute into the chemical mist, which surprised Asuka as she watched the third child slowly march forward, but the actions of her "sister" would surprise her even more:

"Hey Shinji, look over here, do you think my breasts are bigger than Asuka's?" 

In a classic Shinjian maneuver, the third child did what he always do when presented with a difficult choice, gulping audibly then chanting to himself: " I will not look back, I will not look back." while making a mad dash for the exit with his expanding toothpick.

"Shinji, look over here before I get mad." An Asuka cooed behind him. 

"Third-child, turn around and you are dead."

_Damned if I do, damned if I don't_. Shinji thought as he dashed to the exit…then found it blocked. Behind him, both Asukas began to gain upon him slowly, like out of a horror movie, Shinji bang on the door, but got no response. 

"Hold on, we are having mechanical problems with the door." One of the bridge bunnies answered over the Com.  

  
A second later, Shinji felt a…no, several feminine hands upon his shoulder and slowly turned around. Paralyzed in fear, he turned around and starde at the twins facing him, one smiling cheerfully while the other one is giving off the trademark Langley death glare. 

"What did I say about staring at me?" The "Evil" Asuka asked with implied violence in her voice. 

"Um…" Shinji tried to think up a reply, but his effort failed as blood desert his brain and went south at full speed.

----

Main while 

NERV Command Bridge 

Maya looked at the controls by her desk in alarm, "I am detecting some kind interference in the air filtration systems…hold on, it is passing right into the chemical dispenser systems. Some kind of airborne agent."   
  
"What? The children are still in there!" Misato cried out in alarm, "Get them out of here."

"I am trying!" Shigeru Aoba typed furiously on his keyboard, but nothing was happening. 

"Shinji! Asukas! Get to the other side! Get out of there!" Misato grabbed the mike and screamed.

"Too late, we lost radio contact." Makoto informed her superior calmly.

---------  

Tsuka grinned slyly at the sight of Shinji's exposed manhood: "Looks like the baka boy is turned on by our dazzling beauty."

That line did nothing but infuriate the younger Langley even more, crackling her fingers, Asuka replied with a hint of doom: "Well I am going to turn him off, permanently!"  

But before the German teenager could carry off that deadly threat, suddenly, her world begin to spin…

"I am feeling kind of dizzy," Tsuka commented from the side as she lost her footing.

"Me too, I feel sleepy…" Shinji added in, his pupil diluting and he slipped and fell on his behind, looking up, he saw the twins falling down on top of him…

Then his world went black.

[note: there will be an Lemon version of this scene later, if my hentai-writer decide to do it]

------------

1 hour and 20 minutes later

NERV Command Bridge 

Looking over the LCD screen, Rituko type furiously on her workstation. Around her, various NERV personnel worked with equal vigor trying to re-access the corridor to the test chamber. After what it seemed to be eternity, Maya called out from her console. "The contaminant has left the system, I am trying to track it." 

"What was it?" Misato inquired while wiping her brow with a napkin.

"I am not sure, but it is seem to be patterned blue but it is exiting the NERV system with an alarming speed." Ritsuko added.

Frowning, the Major looked over the Doctor's shoulder, " Can we capture it?"   
  
Before Ritsuko could formulate a reply, one of the bridge bunnies cut in, "Hold on, I am getting the video feed back online." 

Believing the children's safety is more important than their privacy, Misato ordered him to bring the Video feed to one of the side screens, as the NERV staff crowded over the grainy camera feed, they collectively sweat dropped at the bizarre image:

Shinji was blacked-out on the floor with his head against the door to the test site, with one of the Asukas on top of him with her head locked to his in a necking position, while the other one is unconscious at his feet, with her face in his crotch. From the Bridge crew's angle, it looked like Asuka was doing, well, you know. All three are blissfully unaware of what the heck is going on, but, Misato suspects, if she does not get the third child out of there very soon, she will be needing a replacement…

-----

[Sorry folks, no Angel battle over this one, so instead…]

The same Evening. 

An "Abandoned" Building somewhere in the flooded area of Tokyo-2 (old Tokyo)

"I did it! I got rid the Angel! I got rid of the Angel!" the 14 years old girl clapped her hands happily as the words "Blue Pattern ejected" appeared on her screen. Somewhere along the Tokyo-3 coast amidst the destroyed harbor, a sewage plant that suddenly return to operation, unceremonially dumping the divine being known as the Iruel into the sea. 

The little teenager wore a pair of comfortable sneakers decorated with an elongated triangle [that also appeared on her forehead] in the center of each, suitable for everything from a fifteen mile jog to heavy urban wear, they were capable of rendering men sterile with a simple five mile per hour strike in the right location.  Her socks were snowy white and pulled almost up to her kneecap, while she wore a schoolgirl uniform with the checkered mini-skirt that could almost rival Asuka in term of having men screaming "Jailbait." 

One might think of her as an innocent girl with a computer fetish, if one happen to ignore the fact she just dispose the 10th Angel with a keyboard, or the fact she is a room with enough weapons & explosives to resemble a scene coming out the old movie MATRIX, or the fact Gerald Ion Rush [Future Shinji] was sitting behind her with a smirk while ducking the little teenager's "victory dance" that involved spinning around in her chair while waving a small sledgehammer over her head. 

"I knew I could do it! That old Iruel never saw it coming! He can't beat me cause I…"the little girl took a deep breathe the shouted, "am a genius!!" 

"Yes dear," Gerald [future Shinji] replied tolerantly while handing her a large box, no, a small crate of ice cream. The sight of such frozen delights instantly made the lass's eye glossy with water, and she snatch the bundle and headed to a nearby desk, popped the seal and began to scarf down the Ice cream with an inhuman speed. 

Beep. Beep. Beep. Gerald [Future Shinji's] cell-phone rang, he got up and walked outside until he reach the end of the hallway, the secret agent reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his cell-phone, "Hello?"  
  
 "Gerald, we got problems." A familiar voice called from the other side. 

"Kaji you ****, where the **** were you? I had to dispatch Jing and Nikito to look for you and they still didn't find you, I thought NERV got... no, don't tell me, I can almost picture it. Misato, beer, coffin nails, cheap motels…" 

"Errrr…no. Let's just say I am in a place that you normally have to die to get in, under a very large tree."

"Ah huh." Gerald replied dubiously as he hears the sound of girls giggling in the background, "good to know you find time to call me about it. Good bye."

"No WAIT!!!" Kaji shouted, which prompt Shinji to listen again "Listen, we got a big problem, a while back, I tried to…." His voice vanished in a blast of static. 

"What the hell?" Shinji mumbled, then the cell-phone rang again, but before he could turn it back on, an explosion rocked him off his feet and set him flying into a nearby wall. A few minutes later, Gerald got back up…only to find the entire corridor in rubbles. 

"Commander!" One of Gerald's agents came behind him with a gun in hand. 

"What's is going on?" Gerald [future Shinji] moaned while reaching up with one hand to feel his forehead. 

"It is the U.N, we are surrounded!" The man almost cried in panic. 

"UN? Here?" Gerald replied with disbelief in his voice, but deeply in his heart, he remained unsurprised; Gendo may be evil, but he is not stupid, it is only a matter of time before the base is discovered...but it is still too early! 

"They got at least ten Gunships flying over us right now, and they surround this place with a dozens of gunboats." To puncture his point, the building shook again as it came under artillery fire, mortars and concrete fell from the ceiling as the building buckled under stress. Seconds later, gunfire erupts on the lower and upper floor of the building as NERV/UN soldiers exchanged gunfire with [future] Shinji's men. Tasting the blood in his mouth, Gerald pulled out his gun, "Come on, we are not going down without a fight." 

------------

SEELE Committee office

  
Like many clichéd villain Headquarters, SEELE central conference office was kept in irrational darkness and only lit by a holographic table lit in the center of the room. Around the table lied 12 metallic monoliths with Arabic numerical 01-12. Sitting on one end of the table is the infamous mastermind of the entire Instrumentality Project, Chairman Keel, on the end sat Gendo Ikari, with his white gloved hands together in his usual emotionless "look". 

  
The table depicted the battle between the U.N troops and the terrorist cell, with white lines outlining the semi-sunken building, large blue boxes as Gunships and Gunboats, red triangles as the unknown terrorists, while the blue circles representing the UN strike team that is penetrating directly into the base with painfully slow speed. Somewhere off screen, lies the Destroyer "Freedom" freshly loaned from an American Naval base nearby. 

Another triangle wink out, but five circles also vanished. 

SLEELE 02: It seem this is the established ratio right now, for every five of our men, one of theirs go down. 

SLEELE 03: Indeed, these men are terrific foes, a pity they have to stand against us, even caught off-guard, they still manage to fight back with such resolve. 

SLEELE 01: And their encryption system is good, if not for their hand in ridding the 10th angel, we might never found them in the first place. All their safe houses only had piecemealed information. 

SLEELE 04: They oppose the Angels as much as we do, why, if they were really just interested in sabotaging our plans, they would allowed the Ireul to do away with the pilots or kill them off. 

Chairman Keel: Regardless, they are a threat to the final scenario, and that is not acceptable, look, it is almost over. 

Indeed, there is only four red triangles left, holed up the northern section of the building. 

Pressing a key on his desk, Chairman Keel spoke into it: "Admiral, order your ships to cease fire, I want those men alive." 

-------------

Back to Tokyo-2

Shinji [future Gerald] returned fire as he dodged behind the corridor while dragging the body of his dead comrade. The boy was barely in his mid-teens with a long braid that made him look like girl, dressed in a catholic priest uniform with a black baseball cap emblazoned with the word "Shingami." He should have a rich life ahead of him after working as scout and recon-specialist for the Anti-NERV cell, something more, at least than the cold and impersonal death the UN troops have given him.

The entire scene is almost surreal; it reminded Shinji the day JSSDF struck, right before the third Impact, another lifetime ago. But now the JSSDF is in his pocket and it is HIS base being attacked by the UN instead. Slapping a fresh clip into his rifle, Gerald fill the staircase under him with raining death, cutting down two enemies outright while forcing the other five to take cover. 

"I will prevail, I will prevail, I will not fail…" An old habit, Gerald smiled grimly as he reloaded, _well, at least it is no longer "I will not run away." _

Abandoning his position again as the NERV/UN troops begin to throw tear gas at his direction, he fell back again, this time taking cover behind some rubble and waited. A few minutes later, one of the UN trooper peer her face by the door. When no one return fired, she motioned her compatriots to follow her, one by one, they got out the cover and creep down the corridor. 

Quietly discarding the empty rifle from his hand, Shinji/Gerald brought out a pair of sub-machine guns from his jacket, turning his body around in a 360 to his left, the secret-agent-mastermind brought them to bear and released a torrent of metallic knives at the incoming UN team.  The first four, already halfway down the corridor with no place to hide, were cut down by the armor-piercing slugs, the remaining two were able to take cover behind the crates that were stacked by the wall. 

A second later, from behind cover, they tossed out three metallic objects. But Shinji was ahead of them, taking cover behind his hiding place just as the flash-bang and two tear- gases went off. Covering his mouth and eyes, Shinji returned fire, then abandon his position and rush into the main office. 

Two other agents remained with the schoolgirl. One of them was bleeding from head to toe by the sharpenels, while the other was on her knees with a crippled leg, busily bandaging the first. At the sight of his commanding officer, she said, "Sir, it is too dangerous, you got get out of here, we can't fight on much longer." 

The other wounded agent added in, "I think we are the only ones left, Kaze and the other were on the Southern wing trying to hold them off, but the bastards collapsed the entire floor on them."   

"Damn." Gerald replied sadly. Without another word, he fished out another assault rifle from its rack and slapped a magazine into it. 

"Sire," the female soldier spoke respectfully, "What are you think you are doing?"  
  
"Exercising my personal responsibility as a leader to go down with his men." Shinji/Gerald replied emotionlessly. 

The female soldier replied, "No sir, I cannot allow you to do that."

It took a few seconds for the words to sink into Gerald's head, "What?" 

"The Japanese Government had given their orders to me to make sure you survive at any cost; they made it clear how important you are to the future of this planet, you must live on to ensure OUR scenario is the one that will come to pass, and the human Instrumentality project will never happen, therefore," she gestured at the young girl that stood behind Gerald since he came in. Before Shinji can make a counter order, he saw her sledgehammer move to the corner of his vision…

WAP!

As Gerald [future Shinji]'s conscious spiralled into the darkness, he could hear three voices,

"Take care of him will yea? Me and Recca will set the charges, we cannot allow SEELE to get their hands upon our secrets."

"Right, Yanagi-Chan, I will get him to safety, are you guys going to be alright?"

Another explosion, Shinji could see sections of the wall collapsing as the UN troops charges in, the sound of gunfire erupted all around him. 

"Just GO!" Someone screamed. 

And the one last bit of light winked out.  

------------

The next day

"Where is Toji?" Shinji [the younger] asked as bend down to tie his shoelaces, it was about mid-afternoon and the classes just ended, the boys stood by their lockers, removing their slippers and changing to their normal shoes to go home. Cleaning the lenses of his glasses with a handkerchief, Kensuke replied, " I think he left with Hikari again, or maybe got recruited to pilot an EVA, who knows." 

"I thought it was your dream to pilot an EVA." Shinji pointed out. 

Kensuke shrugged, sighed, and then replied under his breath, "Not any more." eager to change the topic, he added, "you heard about that explosion in Tokyo-2 last night?" 

Blushing slightly at HIS activity last night, the third child replied, "I was at a late night sync test." 

"Really? What was it about?" Kensuke asked, much to Shinji's relief, the otaku was facing the other way, because otherwise he would see Shinji's face going pass red to purple. 

"Oh, pretty routine, I guess Ritusko got insomnia or something." 

"I see, well from what I heard, the UN troops had a 'weapon exercise' off one of the abandoned underwater buildings near the old district. Apparently they did not notify the Japanese Government ahead, and I heard there was nearly a pitch naval battle offshore." 

"Really?" Shinji asked in curiosity, his face returning to the normal shade as the embarrassing sync test is forgotten.  

Kensuke reduced his voice to conspirical levels, "Yea, the official story anyway…unofficially, I think something rotten is going on. UN has not been the same since the second Impact, and if all the stories from post-TI is true, I say there is another story under it; if not several, I mean seriously, shelling in costal waters is a gross violation of national sovereignty, even if the buildings were abandoned for years." 

As the two quietly left the main building, they were waylaid by one of the girls Shinji met a few days earlier, "Ikari-kun," she called out cheerfully from behind. It took a few seconds for the boys to remember her name, "Mana?" Shinji asked carefully. 

"That's me!" the girl replied cheerfully, "how do you do?"

And thus they begin to banter on pleasantly (starting with the weather of course). After a few minutes, Kensuke realized the girl's primary interest is in the third child, so his attention begins to wonder. First he looked up and down of their new-found friend, dark hair that is archetypical of your average Japanese, about Shinji's height, the usual schoolgirl uniform, calm, serene eyes, combined with her near-albino hair-cut that give him a weird first impression of Rei-chan in one of her happier moods.   

[Please refer to Playstation's NGE: Girlfriend of steel's Mana Krishima for a more detailed description]  

After exhausting all possible viewing angles, the Otaku look past the girl and back at the school door, it is late in the day and most of the students already left, which made the red-haired twin impossible to miss as they clear the main entrance.

"Do you wish to go see a movie with me?" 

"Huh?" Kensuke blinked in confusion.

The dry voice in his mind, long dormant since Rei moved in, suddenly woke up.  

 _Oh, Mana asking Shinji on a date. You already got a nice girl with you, don't be greedly. _

_Oh ok, right. _Kensuke thought, then he and his "alternative self" put two-and-two together, alarm bells begin to rang in his head as he remembered:

Tsuka recently, in not so broad hints, declared Shinji belong to her. Tsuka, like her sister, has an ultra-sensitive hearing. She also has the same temper as Asuka. And the new girl just asked Shinji on a date, clearly in THEIR hearing range. DANGER!!!!! 

"Ah, Shinji, I got to go, I just remember I was suppose to help Rei-chan with the dinner tonight." Taking one last glance at the German girls above, Kensuke paled as he saw both them cracking their knuckles with and theirs faces turning dark at a dangerous rate. Confused, Shinji turned around to ask his friend, "Huh, but I thought we were suppose to go study together."

But the prudent Otaku already cleared the school ground at full speed. 

[Excessively violent scene deleted]

--------------

Aida residence. 

Kensuke realized something was wrong when he saw Misato's car (he memorized the license plate a while back) parked in front the street that lead to his condo apartment. Knowing the only thing that might interest the NERV Major for a visit, Kensuke, fearing the worst, dash into the apartment half-expecting to see the first child struggling with NERV goons. 

But instead, he found Misato and two NERV Men-in-black waiting in the kitchen. Sat still by the dinner table as if they were dead, _or Rei-chan is a great __taxidermist_, the dry voice in the otaku's head added. 

To make the matter more surreal, Rei walked into the room dressed in a French maid uniform, and begin to wash the dishes in the sink. Biting down his teeth to banish several sexually provocative images from his mind, Kensuke asked, "Rei?" 

The sound of his voice brought all three adults out of their reverie. Blinking as if they just woke up, Misato rub her eyes until she saw the boy otaku standing by the door, "Rei? Ah, hi Aida-san."   
  


After the boy stammered the usual greetings suitable for a Japanese youth to an adult, Misato got down to business, " Ah Kensuke, if you happen to see Ayanmi, can you tell her to report to the headquarter ASAP? The commander wishes to speak to her, it is very important." 

Looking past the purple-haired tactical officer/former idol, Kensuke found Rei continuing to wash the dishes, at the mention of asking her to go report to Gendo, the half-angel's face change from a smiling one into her trademarked "frozen mask", which in turn sent glacial spikes down the Otaku's back. A second later, Misato's chair give away and she landed on her behind. 

_They cannot see her? _Kensuke thought confusingly. To make the matter worse, Rei just finished washing the dishes and walked right back out from where she came from. All three adults seem to be oblivious to the girl's presence, even when Misato turned around to find a new chair and stared at the first child eyes-to-eyes. 

After a long delay, Misato got herself a new chair and continued: " But she is not the only reason we are here, it seems your dreams have been fulfilled. The Headquarter has authorized me to select you as the fifth child and the pilot of the American made EVA-04, congratulations." 

[Tsuka made fourth child]   

Kensuke was so shocked he barely noticed when Misato stood up and shook his hand, "um thanks." He replied numbly. 

"What is the matter?" Misato asked with concern, "you don't sound too excited." 

"Oh, I am sorry," Kensuke replied with an cheerful smile, "I guess I am just thinking about how this is too good to be true."

Not realizing the sarcasm, Misato pulled out a package from her purse, it contained a folder and a DVD with the words "For Your Eyes Only" printed on it.  

"I know it must be a shock having this occur so suddenly," Misato said, "but I only got the news recently myself. So if you have any questions, call me, I like to have you pack you bags, say goodbye to all concerned parties, then report to NERV HQ tomorrow afternoon." 

Gathering every iota of his self control, the boy soldier gives his best salute, "Yes sir, Major Misato, I will do my best." 

Satisfied, Misato return his salute and bid Kensuke goodbye, then left with her escorts. After they left, Kensuke lock the door behind him and sighed. "I got what I always wanted, but am I not happy about it?"

"Kensuke-kun?" Rei called out from the living room. 

Now there is something he could deal with, Kensuke thought, puffing his chest in a pale imitation of Toji, Kensuke walked into the living room. He found Rei on the living room floor dressed in her old schoolgirl uniform, facing the other side of the room reading a book of some kind, without turning around, Rei said: "Please don't do that, I don't want you looking like that ego-inflated jock." 

The sound of air exiting from Kensuke lung was alarmingly fast, to say the very least. Coughing so much until he was in tears, Kensuke asked, "Wha cought, did cough you call cough me for, decoughar?"

"For your company of course," Rei replied then rolled over and sat up, smiling as if nothing had happened before, she hand him a package. "This came in the mail for you in the morning, it didn't have a label or return address." 

Gingerly picking up the box as if is loaded with explosives (he is paranoid), the boy otaku tear away the sandpaper wrapping to reveal a non-descriptive shoebox. Very unusual, given the traditional focus on the appearance. A gift, no matter how great it is, is an insult without elaborate wrapping. 

Carefully opened the box with his letter opener, he found the content to be non-lethal in nature; a single cell-phone with two batteries, one colored red and one colored blue. His curiosity overtook his caution, Kensuke insert the batteries in the phone. 

"humm…" 

"Here is a note, Kensuke-kun." Rei picked up a small scrap of golden paper from the floor, written in English: 

Congratulations upon your selection to be the Fifth child, here is a gift. 

                                                                                                      -A fan 

Puzzled rather than pleased, Kensuke frowned, "Shinji never get these kind of presents, the hell is going on? You said this came this morning??" 

Before the albino half-angel can reply, the phone rang. Pulling up the receiver, he spoke tentatively into it. 

"Hello."

"Aida-san?" An unfamiliar male voice Kensuke swore he heard before asked.   
  
 "Yes?"   
  
 "If you wish to survive your first EVA test, you will follow these instructions." 

T.B.C

  
I swear my mental power is deserting me these days…it is as if EVA is dying in front of my eyes, but I got finish this story, the few readers who review constantly deserve it. 

A word about the Lemons, they are not part of the main story. Basically, they are the "Alternative scene" on "what could have happened." I didn't plan for them when I started to write this fic, but I am surrounded by Ecchi pre-readers (-_-;;)…So now I allow one of my long time pre-writer Macro Edison to cook a few up, titled "Deleted scenes" to attract more readers. 

If you disagree, then I like to remind you this is my first fic and is nothing but a giant fan-service (^-^) 

Check the Review sections for the link, it should be up within 48 hours, thank Ryoma and Reizig on allowing their websites to host these ecchi-files. 

Lastly, don't forget to review before you leave, I have Peroth-chan watching (^-^) and unless you enjoy being stuck by holy lightening or rose-whips…


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: see chapter before 

Sorry for the update lateness, but I have summer school to deal with, plus I no longer really, well, just... I sort of felt like I did back in chapter 5, that no one read this any more. To make the matter worse, my hard-crashed, killing 7000 words worth of efforts. So now I broke the last three chapters down into mini-chapters instead. To compound the problem, my long time supporter, Steve Vader decided to quit on me after some…vicious disagreement over the plot. Thus this chapter has been re-written by my third pre-reader Marco Edison (also responsible for the OVA lemon), then reedited again.

No, this chapter has no lemon in it

The lemon is up, check Review section for links (don't forget to review)

Chapter 16: EVA-04

Matsushiro 

Afternoon, 4:PM local time 

NERV mobile test site

"So this is the American-made Unit-04." Misato commented as she looked out the observation tower of the EVA test site. Over the horizon by a setting sun, a huge T-1 airborne Transport unloaded the monstrous bio-War machine. From a distance, it looked no different than Unit-01 except it **was** painted black with gold trimming, a progressive blade lodge upon its left shoulder, and its eyes **gave** off an Ethereal white aura as it blinked. Several hundred meters off, EVA-00 and EVA-02 stood in a stand down position, ready to assist in case of an accident. 

Using a pen to check off her clipboard, Ritsuko said, "Yup, supposedly equipped with the first known working prototype of the new S-2 engine."

"**Doesn't** look that different." Maya pointed out as she walked into the office bearing coffees.

"Ah, Maya, thanks." Ritsuko took a coffee and after sipping a little she looked up at the major. "So, how did the Americans take the committee's decision to transfer Unit-04 and the unfinished Unit-03 to Japan?"

Misato grimaced. "Security reasons or not, they were not happy with it at all. You know how they've insisted to get the right to build these units."

"I see." replied the scientist "However, the commander and the committee are convinced that the so called accident in the Russian base recently was an act of sabotage. They don't want to take the risk of losing an Evangelion."  

"An act of sabotage..." the major repeated in a low tone. "Another one, in fact." she added in her mind, recalling other incidents in the past years, the information was highly classified but the few bits she was allowed to see suggested they were not pretty.  Whoever was the responsible, he or she should have a deep knowledge of NERV's ways...

Placing those thoughts aside, Misato asked "So, where's our brave pilot?"

"Pilot Aida is in the changing room getting acquainted with his plug-suit." provided Maya professionally "I'll check him in a few minutes, the technicians are performing the last adjustments on Unit-04's entry-plug."

Misato nodded. The three women stood there, sipping black coffee and watched as the girders that bind the EVA-04 were taken apart. 

Changing Room Keeping an eye on the plug-suit manual he was given, which was now laying on a seat along his civil clothes, Kensuke was finishing putting his yellow/grey plug-suit on. "Who's the guy who chose these colors?" he thought. "Some fan of those old super-heroes comics?" When he was done, he pressed the switch on his left wrist. With a hiss, the plug-suit fitted the contours of his body. After looking at himself for a few seconds the otaku boy sighed heavily and seated, thinking. If his friends could see him now they would be stunned by his apparent lack of enthusiasm, he didn't seem someone whose biggest dream was about to come true. Being one who embraced conspiracy theories easily, he always thought there was something more about NERV than the eye could see but it never drove his dream of piloting and Eva away, at least until Rei jumped into his life. The mysterious albino girl had made the boy rethink his ambitions...  "Well, I can't run away now... I just hope I can end this day in one piece..." Trying to put aside his worries, Kensuke picked the manual and continued reading it. "What's this? 'Press the switch on the right wrist to switch to Type-D mode'." Wondering what the Type-D mode was, and ignoring that it might be wiser keep reading, the otaku pressed the said switch... 

Maya left the elevator and walked towards the changing room entrance. Upon nearing the doors, she heard struggle sounds coming from inside. "Pilot Aida, are you all right?" she asked in a concerned tone, opening the doors. The sight in front of her made the young woman stop dead on her tracks and then start giggling. Kensuke was laying on his back, or as much of his back it was possible considering his plug-suit was now looking a big yellow/grey inflated balloon, the boy was clearly having difficulties to get back to his feet. Hearing the sounds of female giggles, he tried his best to turn his head and look at the source, finding the gaze of Lt. Ibuki on him. "Well, pilot, it seems you've discovered the Type-D mode of your plug-suit..." Maya was all smiles. Blushing, the boy replied with an ashamed "You might say so..." Kneeling at his side, the young NERV officer pressed the switch on his left wrist and the plug-suit went back to its normal mode. Kensuke stood up quickly, stuttering apologies but Maya dismissed them with a wave of her hand. "No need for apologies, pilot, you know, even the Second Child went through this not long ago..." The picture of Asuka looking like a red balloon filled the boy's mind and he just looked at Maya with his mouth wide open. "...but I wouldn't mention that near her, NERV insurance does not cover the type of damage she would cause to you." Kensuke could only nod to that. "So, is it time already?" he asked while trying to hide his nervousness. "Yes, the technicians are done with the entry-plug, please follow me." Maya walked out the changing room, with the boy close behind.

Fifteen minutes later… 

Immersed in their respective **cans** of **ketchup**, the **Soryu** twins were not amused with the situation. Despite Misato's pleas of security, the fact that they were serving as mere bodyguards (very expensive ones but still...) for NERV's new unit and his pilot seemed an insult, the great Soryu twins were much above that. Add the fact that Shinji was let out of this commission. Per the commander's orders, Unit-01 was being shelved for combat-use only and more tests on it scheduled. Such tests, as everything related to the Evas, were far expensive but truth be told, Gendo and the SEELE committee were far more interested in studying the "flame arm" acquired in the battle with the 8th angel than to worry about few million third-world country children starving, but to the minds of the volatile redheads, it implied that the young Ikari **was** far more important combat-wise than the **Soryu** twins. 

Speaking into a private channel reserved for pilot communication, Asuka fumed, "Why did they let Shinji stay home and leave us guarding **STOOGE** here?" she **poured** extra hatred on the word "**stooge**", lacing it with venom and disgust normally reserved for a certain baka. 

Tsuka was not very much better in that regard, the **Matsushiro** heat **had** made the older girl quite uncomfortable, combining the fact Shinji **was** at school most of the day, which **meant** he could have been together with that Mana girl. The very idea of the two entwining their bodies together while making out in a closet somewhere set the older girl aflame with fury. But there was something else bothering the older redhead as well. From what she remembered, and with the pieces of data provided by her XIA implant to back up her, Unit-04 was supposed to be destroyed in a freak accident in the American branch of NERV while Unit-03 was the one Japan should receive, to have Toji chosen as its pilot. – "What a short carrier..." – she thought in disgust as she recalled the events following the disastrous activation test of the black Eva. Tsuka wondered if Shinji (the older one) had his fingers on this, at least in Kansuke's choice to pilot, the otaku boy was now part of a bigger plan, even if he didn't know that. Still, she was not thrilled with the situation, she was Asuka, afterall...

"Grrr…there goes the exclusive EVA pilots club, **who will they recruit next**? That idiot Jock Toji? Pen^2 perhaps?" To **emphasize** her point, the red EVA balled its fists together then uncurled, making loud crackling noises that could be heard several hundreds meters off. 

Inside his entry-plug and still trying to make himself comfortable, Kensuke took the hint and keyed into his intercom: "Well, if it make you ladies feel any better, I really don't want to be here either."

  
 "Shaddup!!" both girls replied in such a force it made the Otaku nearly flip over his seat has he not been strapped down, one of the girls added in: "It is ALL your fault because if you didn't badger Misato all these past months, her beer-addled brain wouldn't make a horrendous mistake like this." 

As the disassemblies were finally completed, Misato called through the **Com-console**, "Ok, let's get this show on the road**", somewhere** several floors beneath the towers, an army of technicians worked franticly to active NERV's latest little toy. Noting the other two EVA's obvious agitation, she promptly added, "ladies, if you behave, I will take you two and Shinji to the beach later." The prospect of large bodies of cooling water softened the younger girl's mood considerably, while the vision of seeing the third child in nothing but a swimming trunk mollified the older one, somewhat.  

"All system running nominal." 

"Bio-readings are at optimum level."  

"Inserting Entry-plug" 

"Sync ratio is at 11% and rising…" 

Hearing the magic word, Misato smiled and spoke into the **mike**: "Ok Kensuke-kun, show us what you have." 

Somewhere behind the back of EVA-04, inside a white **capsule**, **there** would be **an** otaku sweating nervously if he was not already immersed in LCL. With both **hands** on squeezing the neural interface on the command seat, the boy otaku tried to coax the giant monster to follow his orders. 

"Ok, **breath**, breath…" Kensuke murmured, his eyes **refused** to open to the LCL.  

From the corner of the screen, a miniature image of Misato appeared, commanding him to take a step forward. Taking a deep gulp of LCL, Kensuke **ordered** EVA-04 to take a step forward…

The EVA took one tentative step forward…then another…then tripped…one knee hitting the pavement. Like a drunken sailor on leave, the Black-Gold EVA **slid** and **landed** face first into the **test** site. 

"That…must hurt." Maya commented as she watched the EVA-04 taking a nosedive while her Sempai groaned and Misato **covered** her face in embarrassment. 

Blushing furiously, Misato **keyed** her intercom, "Ok, Asuka, Tsuka, get Kensuke back upon his feet and try again."

  
In the background, she could hear the **Soryu** twins' **voices**, cursing in choice German not at all consonant with the respect due to a fellow EVA pilot, or their superior officers, or NERV, or the world in general. In a distance, the red and blue **Evas** broke free of their mooring and moved to assist the downed war machine, not quite gently.   

_Oh why did I agree to give Shinji a break and left him home?? _

"Just HOW did this guy made **it**? His **sync** ratios are horrible." Ritsuko asked in exasperation. 

"I thought you **were** the one who told me to pick him." Misato replied while reaching through her **jacket** for the hidden **Yebisu**.

"What are you talking about?" the blonde doctor turned her head sharply, "I am positive you CALLED me that you found a boy genius, even better than that Toji kid the committee selected."   

"Wait a minute," the Major narrowed her eyes, "then who sent that Email from your mail…" Before she **could** complete that sentence, Unit-04's eyes flared dark blue, and the war-machine roared. 

In less than a second before either **Soryu** twin **could** react, the black EVA's right hand glowed with energy, broke free and slammed its arm into the red EVA's chest cavity, sending unit-02 tumbling several hundreds meters backward, causing a skittering crater in the process. 

"What the hell?" Asuka exclaimed in surprise, but her reflexes were not caught offguard. Before the rogue machine **could** deliver a similar surprise attack upon the blue EVA, Unit-00 already **let** go its arm and moved several dozen yards back.   

  
 "You **************** of an **Stooge**!" Asuka cursed in fury, and ordered the EVA to withdraw its Prog knife for an attack. 

Observation Tower

"What the hell is going on?!" shouted Misato as she watched the scene in disbelief. The several technicians in the room were interjecting and running around, checking their instruments.

"Sempai!" it was an alarmed Maya now "We are detecting a blue pattern, it's coming from Unit-04!"

"What!" Ritsuko moved to Maya's side and read the information on the screen "My god..."

"What is it, Ritsuko?" demanded Misato.

Dr. Akagi raised her head and looked to what was about to turn into a battlefield. "An angel." she said emotionlessly "It has taken Unit-04..."****

**Meanwhile….**

If he were not saturated in LCL, Kensuke would have vomited from his initial face first dive **inside** an EVA. As the customary red haze **turned** black as the interior lights were shut off by Angelic domination, the boy otaku **realized** something has gone very wrong as the monitors around him **began** to snow with static then **switched** off. 

"Oh this is great." He commented sarcastically, as the entry-plug shook violently as something, _say another EVA-sized fist_, smashed into it.   

-----

  
Tsuka's EVA-02 barely made a dent on the metal monstrosity's back with her opening punch. In an almost negligent manner, the Black EVA turned around and backhanded her. The sheer concussive force sent the Red EVA flying back into its power generator, crushing it completely and forcing the crew operating at the command tower to shut it off or risking a catastrophic explosion.  

"Sis!" Asuka cried while cursing the otaku's (and NERV) entire ancestral linage, then **ordered** her EVA to make the charge. Perhaps admiring its handwork, the Angel/EVA did not notice the assault until it was too late. Without **a** second thought, the blue-EVA drove the 40-meter long progressive knife into her foe, emitting an thundering screech and rain showers of spark upon the pavement, the metals protest their duress upon impact, then the EVA-armor give up, allowing the blade to bite into vulnerable flesh.  

Asuka cried out triumphantly in German as EVA-04 staggered backward in pain, but that victory was short lived as the wound around the angel closed while it pulled out HER blade and with a tight squeeze, the Knife was bathed in an bluish aura, then broke into shards of impotent metal with a loud crunch.      

"Oh Mein gott," Asuka murmured out loud just as she took note of her sister's EVA-climbing backup, "this is going to be an very long day." 

------

Unit-04 cockpit 

**_"_**_I am going to be destroyed inside this blasted tin can!**"** _Was the only thing Kensuke **could** think as the entry-plug received once again the feedback caused by the impacts against the Unit's armor. With all control and communication equipment offline, the boy otaku could only whimper as various forces smashed into his small shell. While the entry-plug itself was not damaged yet, small pieces of plating and equipment were starting to loosen and fall apart. The helpless pilot had no illusions, when the entry-plug finally gave way, it would be crushed like a soda can... _"Ah, man, that guy was not kidding..."_

_Flashback_

"Hello."

"Aida-san?" An unfamiliar male voice Kensuke swore he heard before asked.   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"If you wish to survive your first EVA test, you will follow these instructions." 

_Kensuke paled upon hearing that. Feeling his throat suddenly dry, he managed a reply._

_"Who's speaking?"_

_"Just someone who looks for the truth." The voice returned. "I have very important advice to give you concerning your incoming test in Eva Unit-04. I recommend you to listen carefully, your very life may depend on this." Kensuke was getting really nervous now. The voice continued. "While there is a slight chance that everything goes fine, we should be prepared for the worst scenario._"

_"And what that would be?" the otaku's voice was just a little above a whisper._

_"Game over, Mr. Aida, the game of your life, that is. And this one does not have a 'continue' option."_

_The boy fell on the couch, to much of Rei's surprise, sweating profusely. He needed no more encouragement..._

_"I'm listening."_

"Good." Replied the voice with satisfaction. "Very well, inside the entry-plug you will find..."

_End of flashback_

_"Yes! I remember now! There is a laptop hidden behind..." _Kensuke fought to get himself free from the straps tying him to his command chair, not an easy task while immersed in high density LCL inside a shaking and space restricted capsule. Just as he released the last one another punch from one of the other EVAs sent its violent feedback to the growing flagile entry-plug. This time a section of it really bludged inward,while sending the otaku tumbling into a wall with a nasty shoulder wound. Kensuke didn't have time to even let out a cry of pain as he found himself slamming forward into another wall of the capsule as the EVA took another blow to the chest.

Gritting his teeth in pain, Kensuke **climbed** behind the scrapped chair. Using one of the free-floating metal **shards**, the Otaku **sliced** the couch open to reveal a humble technician's terminal, ripping his gloves away, the Otaku **popped** the safety-clasp, **straightened** the LCD screen and **watched** it hum to life…

 -------

NERV Command tower

The situation went from bad to worse as Tsuka's EVA-02 **ceased** to move due to the lack of power and fell to its knees. The blue EVA **interspersed** itself between EVA-02 and the rogue bio-terror, holding an EVA-Lance **menacingly**. Biting her lips in **frustration**, Misato turned around and spoke to Ritsuko; "Is there anything we can do?" 

The blonde woman replied without looking back, "I am calling HQ for some emergency power generators, but they wont arrive in less than two and a half hours." 

"I don't think Asuka **has** two and half **hours**…" Misato whispered, "What about Unit-01?"

Ritsuko shook her head. "The battle will be over, one way or another, before Shinji can make it here." The head of Project E looked at the major. "Those were the commander's words, he is not deploying Unit-01 unless the angel leaves the test area and moves towards Tokyo-3, the third child is not even in the headquarters, he was released after a battery of tests before all this mess began."

Misato punched a nearby wall in frustration. "Can we at least try to eject Kensuke or Tsuka out of their **plugs**?"

Predictably, the ejection system failed the appointed tasks. 

----------- 

On a side note…

**Katsuragi** Residence 

About the same hour

Preoccupied with his usual gloomy self, Shinji got off the elevator after a long, long day of schoolwork and sync-tests. While it **was** generally true Shinji **kept** his complaints **to** himself, but after listening for the 50th time about some dramatic incident in the per-second Impact world (this time about a spaceship that **was **supposable able to travel faster than **light**), or after had a bunch of NERV technicians telling him to toss a ball of fire at some metal post for the 100th time, his aggression factors rose predictably. Heaven forbid if EVA-04/Angel tried to march into Tokyo-3 right now, Shinji probably go Asuka on the thing…without his EVA.  

As he stood in front the door digging his pocket for the keys, he saw a shadow fall on him from behind. In a speed belies his anemic state, the third child turned around to face his ambusher…only to find himself staring into Mana Krishma's eyes. 

"Ikari-san?" She murmured a polite greeting, her brown eyes dancing with delight. 

"Ye…yes?" Shinji stammered while stare down Mana, who dressed in one of those conservative school uniforms for girls with a small suitcase in one hand.

Blushing slightly, the girl lowed her head as if in shame: "My parents are out of town and I have no where to go, can I stay over your place?"

-----------

Unit-00 

Asuka **was** beyond the verge of fury at this point, in a manner **that **resembled, no, that **would** resemble the climatic battle before the third Impact, the redheaded girl brought her EVA into couch just as she **readied** the lance. In an almost contemptuous gesture, the black-and gold EVA/Angel responded by raising its left arm into the sky. 

"Huh?" Asuka blinked in confusion, then the confusion quickly **translated** into terror as a globe of super-heated plasma **began** to form above EVA-04's outreached arm. Within seconds, the globe tripled its size to a whopping 50 meters wide…then 70…then a hundred. 

"Oh yea?" Asuka shouted defiantly, "You must inherit the **Stooge's** stupidity if you think I can't dodge that." Powering its Jump-jets, the EVA rose into the sky in invisible fire, at the apex of its flight, Asuka shut off the Jump-jet, ordering the gravity to take over as she **hurled** the lance at her hated foe. 

At the same time, the Angel/EVA released its blazing payload. 

----

**Katsuragi** Residence

**"**I must have some serious incurred karma in my last life.**"** Shinji thought. The problem **was**, he couldn't decide if the luck was good or bad. In a maneuver that is highly, well…un-Shinji like, the third child use his left hand to raise the Japanese girl's chin until her eyes met his. 

"Mana-San?" Shinji asked quietly. 

She didn't reply, all she did was continuing to stare into his eyes with a silent "Please". The evil but cute kind of look girls use on their boyfriends when they want something, for one second Shinji thought of Tsuka, who share the same look when the two of them were alone. Remembering the foray from two days ago (which apparently Mana escaped with nothing but a small band-aid on her face), **the** third child decided his fate karma** was** decidedly "bad." 

  
But like all idiot males, he could do nothing but fell under her charms…

------------ 

EVA-04 Cockpit 

After spending several precious minutes scanning the neon-green 1s and 0s that **were** now vertically dripping down the otherwise black monitor screen like blood, Kensuke arrived at a revelation way beyond his years:

  
"Well, I never thought Angels were Microsoft compatible." _If I survive this, I am going to send **an** E-mail to the company **exonerating** their software from being called the tools of the devil..._The Otaku mentally added as he feel the shock of something hitting the EVA…hard. _ Of course, being the tool of Angels now day may not be a flattering remark either…_

As the aftershock **faded** away, a bolt of mental clarity struck him; it began with a frown, then slowly his lips **twitched** upwards until it bloomed into a full smile. Grinning like a loon, Kensuke snapped his fingers and **reached** down the keypad and **began** to type. 

**_"_**_The Angel is a virus, **it** is really a fuc**** computer program. Computer Programs can be un-programmed. A Virus can be cured._

-----------

EVA-00

The Lance impaled EVA-04 in the left breast, crushing the armor plate there, slicing through vital organs and missing the already battered entry plug by mere meters, then exiting the outside, effectively **pinning** the black and gold machine to pavement. 

"Oh yea!" Asuka cried in German as the plasma ball flew over EVA-00's head and her foe geysers of blood erupt from 04's lips. But her cries of victory came dangerous premature. 

Then the plasma ball exploded behind her. 

The blazing missile separated into half a thousands emerald bolts of energy, striking the blue EVA, the pavement, the Red EVA and everything in the general vicinity. The Blue EVA took more than 100 hits in the back, chewing up its back armor, most of its left arm, severing the right leg at knee joint, before sending it tumbling down to the ground, Very, **very**, hard. 

Before she passed out, Asuka saw the EVA/Angel **pulling** the lance free while its wounds were closed around itself. 

Onii-chan… 

Then the entire world winked out. 

---------------

EVA-04

Cannot delete Angel.exe: Accessed denied: The source file is in operation

"Damn this!" Kensuke screamed in the darkness of his cell, "There is no way to get rid of this Angel…"sparing one glance out one of the remaining monitors, he saw the EVA patching up its wound and marched toward Tsuka's EVA now, delivering in a furious kick and sent the machine **spawling** for the Command tower. 

Back to work, if only I can shut this thing down… 

**_"_**_Wait!**"**_ The otaku finally understood, **"**_when you cannot change the law, you change the context where it is written, when the Angel merged itself with the operating program, it must follow the same laws.**"** _

**_"_**_And since this is Windows, there is one uber-beyond-even-God law none can override.**"** _

_Ctrl-Alt-Delete.    _

--------------

Unit-02 Cockpit 

In a scene eerily **resembling** the final battle before the third Impact; the wounded Angel/EVA got up again **and **walked toward the downed red EVA, shredding its metal carapace as it walked. Grinning an inhuman grin, the bio-monstrosity **grabbed** the red EVA by its head, then placed its free hand around 02's chest, energizing and melted away the tons armor and organic muscle to get to the **entry-plug** inside. 

The very sight of EVA-04 healing itself sent shivers down the German girl's spine, and the EVA reeled in pain as the first layer of its armor were dissolved under duress, in turn the damage **translated** into psychic agony for Tsuka. Panicking in fear, she cried out for her mother… 

Then all of an sudden, the pain stopped. 

Slowly opening her eyes, she found her foe standing clinching its head as if stuck by a bad case of migraine, howling in pain, Unit-04 took several steps backwards, reaching out with one hands as if hoping to grasp something…but even the arms failed their tasks as they went limp. Not wasting a second, She swing her EVA' arm directly into 04's faceplate, crushing it along with half of the EVA's face. 

The remaining one good eye stared blankly at the girl…then after what **seemed** to be eternity, EVA-04, like Goliath of the old, fell down to ground, stone dead. 

----------- 

Gendo's Office 

Six hours after incident.

The supreme commander of NERV was seated behind his desk, his hands clasped in his already legendary manner, sub-commander Fuyutsuki at his side, as Dr. Akagi finished her report. As expected, it was not good.

"The damage on Units 00 and 02 were considerable." The sub-commander was the first to speak. "It will take time to get them back online."

"The Evas must be combat ready again as soon as possible." Gendo Ikari was as cold as always. "You must ensure that, Dr. Akagi, if an angel attacks, we can not rely only in Unit-01."

"In other words, if we have someone else, don't put your precious love doll in danger." Ritsuko thought, she really would like to say that out loud but she knew how bad the consequences could be. Taking a deep breath, she spoke:

"It will demand more than our will to get them back online. Specially Unit-00, its severed leg could not be salvaged, replacing it without relying in the Eva's ability to regenerate will cost dearly to our budget, the committee has not been generous in that matter. And there's also Unit-02 and the Matsushiro installations."

"Towards the Evas, a solution is at hand" Gendo smirked. "Unit-03 is useless to us in it's current state so we are scrapping it and diverting the resources to fix Units 00 and 02. Disassemble it to use its parts if you find necessary."

"This will surely speed things up..." the blonde scientist took a note on her clipboard.

"And what about Unit-04?" asked Fuyutsuki. "Was any trace of the angel found on it?"

"No but still we haven't found any before the activation. We need to make several tests to ensure the contamination was really eliminated."

Gendo frowned. "There is no time for that right now. This unit will be placed in cryo-stasis until second order. Concentrate all your efforts on the other units. Dismissed."

Without a word (and god knows she wanted to say some good ones) Dr. Akagi turned around and left the office, she would have little time to rest in the time being. Reaching for her Cellphone, the good doctor dialed for her trusted assistant Maya for another "Employee health examination."

-------------

A beach somewhere…

Roughly seven hours after the incident

The stinging smell of sea awoke Shinji (elder) Ikari from his slumbers, opening his eyes, the Secret agent found himself staring at an endless tide of red, striking the sandy beach. In a panic, Gerald (Shinji) thought he went back (or forward) in time and it is the third Impact all over again, then as he sat up, Shinji saw several figures running toward his direction. 

Then a wave of dizziness struck and he found himself face first in the sand again. Within seconds, the four figure decent on him. With his face in the sand, Shinji (Gerald) could not even move, it is as if all the strength in the Universe deserted him. Twisting his head in the general direction, he found himself staring at three women and one boy. The lead female was in her 30s but looked as if she was 10 years younger, with an apron around her chest and a cigarette in her hand. To her left stood a girl around 20ish, she wore her hair lose and long, dressed in a traditional Japanese Kimono. Men would find her extremely attractive…if not for the bokken she wore held in her arms. To the apron-wearing lady's right stood a boy about a little less than 20, wearing a pair of glasses and a waiter's outfit. Behind him stood a Japanese girl in her early teens, with a raven black outfit to match her hair, peeking at Shinji as if he is…well, dead.

Blinked twice to clear the gunk from his eyes, Shinji/Gerald croaked: "Aunt Haraku?"  

Snuffed out the coffin nail, the apron-wearing woman bend down and touched Shinji's forehead. "Ion? Is that you? After so many years…damn. You look like you got stuck by the wrath of God himself."

The line "what did you do this time" hung heavily between the two.

"I had better days," Shinji agreed glumly, "Where is sem…." Then his voice trailed off with the sight of Haraku-dono's rapidly darkening face. 

Ignoring Gerald/Shinji's question, "Aunt" Haraku turned around and looked for any unwelcome observers, when she was satisfied there were non, she barked out orders to the boy and girl, "Motoko, Keitaro, take him by the arms and get him into the Café house, Shinobo, run ahead and get Naru, she know where I put the trauma medicines, and bring me back the phone ASAP."  

Pushing his glasses up another inch, Keitaro added: "of course, she certainly inflict enough of them." 

T.B.C

 Ok, I feel ill, my writing is not what it used to be L. Well finals are coming up, I will write again when I can. [Take out a tin can] Can I have some reviews? Pleaasssee? It would really brighten my day J

TBC

I am almost done with this fic, although I wonder if I should have inflicted Kensuke with a exotic **disease**/power because he came in direct blood contact with Lilith in a massive quantity way. Na, **probably** not, I already had too many lose end/writing mistakes I tried to forget. I don't know what I am doing next, I am still debating if I should re-write it one more time later when I finish, and do one without the lose ends (i.e the Aggression foumla/XIA implant I never persued in detail) 

As for the endings? I already had a few **scenarios** planned. 


	18. Another blank

File PAD[blank chapter], nothing Serious. Press Next and go on. 


	19. Chapter 18 Marco's fanservice

THis chapter is done on TXT file because FF.net is fucked up and no other type can be uploaded correctly  
  
Well, here is another chapter, this time, the entire beach scene is done by Marcos Edson, leaving me doing some minor polishing and fixes. You rule man! You should start writing sometime for youself as well, cause my talents paled compare to yours. ^_~ (although admittedly, the blatant use of Asuka and Tsuka as fan-service begin to worry me).   
  
On the side of shameless promotion: [www.Evamade.com/forum] Post your Eva Fic here! Hangout, talk about life, EVA, Roleplaying, have fun, go crazy and everything else. All my work from now on usually gets posted two weeks before hitting Fanfiction.net, so sign up and join us today!  
  
Chapter ?: The last hours of freedom  
  
NERV hosptial   
  
Kensuke wandered in and out of reality, like being lost in NERV HQ, opening doors and elevators, climbing through ladders that spiraled into no where or stairs that went upside down into rooms that were rightside up like a bad classical drawing, sometimes he found himself in rooms he never thought existed, other times he found himself in the EVA bay, the various war machines standing in attention like soldiers for him to review, except for his Gold-and black EVA, which was half caved in from Asuka (or maybe Tsuka?)'s final punch, with one good eye remaining, staring at him as he passed by like one of those old paintings from horror movies.   
  
A few times he awoke and saw his father, arguing with sub-commander Fuyutsuki about the well being of his son, then the two vanished into a fog of sedative with one of them saying something about…he could not remember. Another time he saw Shinji and Toji in the room, with the two Sohryu twins. The former two gave pity looks as they put a bouquet of flowers by the cabinet then mumured apologies of somekind, while the latter two stared blazing daggers at him that threatened to nail him to a wall. Then they all dissppeared.   
  
Finally, he saw Rei-chan standing there in a nurse's uniform, when she should have been at home. Reaching forward, she slid a pair of glasses on to his nose.   
  
"Gee, I don't think I have gotten to that fantasy yet." Kensuke thought as the visions suddenly clarified.   
  
Rei blushed slightly at the otaku boy as he finished the thought. She then reached out with one hand and tapped Kensuke on the nose, "Baka-hentai."   
  
"Damn it," He replied apologetically, "things like this never happen in the mangas, the hero always gets to bank home free…"   
  
Rei raised an eyebrow as she picked up the clipboard by his bed, "Well, it is not like you lost an arm and a leg, so you should count your blessings, Kensuke-kun. Broken arm, broken legs, four ribs broken, 49 bruises…it is more quantity damage than quality."  
  
After a long pause, the albino angel-girl added:" Well, I am going to the beach with Misato, Shinji and the girls," her eyes twinkling, "I never swam in the sea before, or wore a bikini for that matter. This could be quite…exciting."   
  
Regardless of his injuries, there was still one part of him that still worked…well, at least he now knew it still worked, so did Rei apparently, with the wicked glows in her eyes.   
  
"Well dear, be nice and keep that hard." Bending down, she gave him a kiss on the lips, and paused a second, to let the otaku boy glance down her ample cleavages, "and I may give you a treat later." The view left him with little imagination about what kind of treat it would be.   
  
Then the fog converged over his head like a blanket, and he dozed off about guns, Angels, and half-angels…  
  
----Here is Marcos and his Fan service, if you liked his lemon, then this is a treat----  
  
Tokyo-2   
  
Southern beach.  
  
The day was really beatiful, the sun was shining in a cloudless sky and there was a soft breeze coming from the sea. On the road toward the beach, Misato's car flew low but for once her passengers didn't mind it, the perspect of spending a whole day in the beach not concerned with things like school, sync tests or angels was worth facing Misato's ways behind the wheel. But to her credit, today her driving, while fast, was actually civil, courtesy of the blue haired girl seated next to her, with a warm-water penguin on her lap. After promissing to "go to HQ later", Rei "suggested" Misato to drive more, well, more like normal people do... on the back seat, Asuka and Tsuka, with Shinji between them, looked eagerly to the white sand and blue water, they could not wait to put their feet on it.  
  
"Well, kids, here we are." – Misato brought her car to a stop, next to a few others parked not far away an inn. As they left the car and started picking their bags, a woman with short black hair and with a cigarrete on her mouth came out the porch, looking at the newcomers.  
  
"Hey, hey, if it's not Misato Katsuragi!" – Haruka greeted, taking her cigarrete out.  
  
"Haruka!" – Misato walked towards the other woman and they high-fived. – "It's good to see you again!"  
  
"The same here." – replied the innkeeper/barkeeper. – "I heard you have an important job now."  
  
"Yeah, kinda..." – Misato said, scratching the back of her head. – "But work is something we and the kids don't want to talk about today."  
  
"Sure." – Haruka said smiling. – "So, who are they? I didn't know you already had three daughters and a son..."  
  
"Ah, ah, that's funny..." – Misato looked at the children, who had picked their stuff and were now gathered near the two older women, "Children, this is Haruka, we used to go to college together."  
  
"The two redheads are Asuka and Tsuka Langley Soryu..." – Misato started.  
  
"Hi!" – replied the aforementioned girls.  
  
"This is Rei Ayanami..."  
  
"Nice to meet you, madam." – Haruka waved her hand at that.  
  
"Drop the formalities, kid. You can call me Haruka."  
  
"Pen-Pen..." – the penguin looked up at Haruka and warked happily, flaping its flippers. Haruka giggled, she knelt and patted him in the head. – "A warm-water penguin... Never saw one before..." – She stood up as Misato introduced the last one...  
  
"And this is Shinji Ikari."  
  
Shinji bowed. – "It's nice to meet you, too, mad... Haruka-dono."  
  
The older woman raised an eyebrow slightly. The boy seemed strangely familiar... Dark brown hair, blue eyes... He remembered her of...  
  
"Well..." – she finally said. – "you are all welcome, all the facilities are at your disposal, if you need someting, you can ask me or one of the girls."  
  
"Thank you!" – all of them said before walking towards the dressing rooms while Haruka went back inside the inn.  
  
* * *  
  
Leaving Pen-Pen on the beach chairs under the umbrella they had brought, Shinji went inside the male dressing room to get changed. Because he was not planning to get into the water, he would be happy to wear the same type of shorts he and the other boys wore on PE at school but Tsuka had bought him a pair of black brief type trunks and have insisted with him to wear those. Not wanting to upset her, Shinji quickly undressed and put the trunks on, althrough he was a bit embarrassed when he noticed how the fabric fitted his body much like a plug-suit would do... – "Why did she choose these?" – he thought, feeling his cheeks a little hot. – "Anyway, they are comfortable, I must admit..." – complementing his wardrobe with a loose white shirt, the boy went outside, picked their stuff and walked near the sand to wait the girls. Minutes later, he looked around and saw Misato walking towards him, carrying her bag, wearing a blue one-piece bathing-suit with a matching skirt wrapped around her waist and a beach hat on her head.  
  
"You look good, Shinji." – Misato said with a smile, after looking at him for a while. – "Tsuka did well getting you those trunks."  
  
"Uh, thanks..." – Shinji replied, feeling his face heating again. He looked at her guardian and noticed she was still staring at him, with an odd grin on her face. – "Misato? Is there somethig wrong?  
  
"Oh, nothing, nothing at all..."  
  
* * *  
  
Girls dressing room, a few minutes earlier...  
  
The girls entered and didn't waste time placing their bags aside and started taking off their clothes. Humming a tone and only with her underwear on, Tsuka opened her bag and took out a bikini she had bought recently, placing it on the side. Asuka, in the process of unhooking her bra, looked at it then up at her future counterpart.  
  
"Are you really going to wear that?" – she asked, looking a bit upset.  
  
"Do you see any problem?" – Tsuka took off her own bra and tossed it inside her bag. – "It's not like you were the one to wear it..." – she added with a wink. The bathing suit Tsuka had chosen was a black piece with a triangle top that tied on the back and neck and T-back thong bottom. Indeed quite provocative.  
  
Asuka growled. That's exactly what was bothering her, people looking at Tsuka would be seeing her, Asuka. She wanted to speak her mind but she couldn't with Rei and Misato around. Besides, it would be really pointless, discussing with Tsuka was like discussing with, well, herself. – "This outfit does not let too much for imagination, I'm surprised they actually sell those for teens."  
  
"Come on, we are in 2015... and I can assure you, there are much more daring stuff out there, this is almost conservative in comparison." – Tsuka finished undressing.  
  
"I must agree with your sister on this, Asuka." – Rei was already putting on her own bikini, a more discrete white suit, with an underwire top and tie side American bottom. – "Some of those were so small I can't believe a woman would pay for them, it would be better walk around naked."  
  
Misato giggled. – "Well, there's logic on that, I can't deny it. But the whole idea behind those micro outfits is exactly to tease men, hiding just a minimum..." – she placed a hand on her scar, her reminder of Second Impact. – "I could not wear one of those..."  
  
Asuka, adjusting the bottom piece of her bikini, looked at her. – "While I'm glad for that, you should not always hide your body on a one-piece suit, though..."  
  
"I guess you're right but I don't feel comfortable showing this..." – the purple haired woman finished putting her bathing-suit on and wraped a skirt around her waist. She looked at Tsuka who was adjusting her top. – "You'll cause a great impression on Shinji, I'm sure about that." – she said winking at the younger girl.  
  
"And the whole male population of the beach..." – Asuka pulled the zipper of her biliki top closed. It was the same she used on her trip to Okinawa with the white and red strips.   
  
"You should get one of these as well..." – Tsuka teased.  
  
"No way! And I bet the baka will faint away as soon as he sees you from behind." – came Asuka with. – "Don't you agree, Rei?"  
  
"Well, " – the albino girl replied. – "...during the trip I noticed Shinji seemed a bit uneasy between the two of you, and from my experience with Kensuke I believe that being around females wearing few clothes is not easy for the boys."  
  
"Now, now, girls, give him some credit." – Misato said. – "If memory doesn't fail me, he has seen you redheads naked during that test some time ago..."  
  
"Ugh! Don't remember me of that!" – Asuka reddned. – "That pervert, getting all horny in front ot us!"  
  
"Oh, he did?" – Misato asked, grinning. That trip was really being worth it, there would be so much to share with Ritsuko later...  
  
"Getting sexually excited at the sight of two naked girls is quite natural for a boy in his age..." – Rei spoke in a didactic way – "He probably could not control it even if he wanted."  
  
"It's this lack of control that worries me!" – Asuka looked at her "sister" – "What if he had attacked us in there?!"  
  
"Well..." – the way Tsuka said that told Asuka that asking such question might not have been a good idea... – "...we two could have enjoied it, actually..."   
  
"WHAT!!!!!" – Asuka was outraged. Misato laughed and even Rei could not avoid giggling at that. – "That's not funny!" – the current pilot of Unit-00 was really fuming now.  
  
"Oh, Asuka, try to relax."- Misato spoke,wiping a tear – "Hormones aside, I can't picture our little Shinji doing a move like that, it's just against his nature..."  
  
"So true... Minus the little part, of course..." – supplied Tsuka with a dreamy expression.  
  
"Gee, sister, don't feed the woman..." – Asuka warned but Misato was already on Tsuka's side. – "Now, I really want to know everything!" – said the officer, grinning mischievously.   
  
"You see, when we left that elevator..." – Tsuka began, as casually as Rei when telling one of the commander's bedroom stories to the class. Rei looked at Asuka who was shaking her head, arms clossed...  
  
"It seems things have been quite interesting at NERV during my absence..." – she said.  
  
"You could say that..." – was all Asuka could reply to her.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey, Misato, are you sure you're ok?"  
  
Shinji's words snapped Misato out of her flashback. She blinked a few times before looking at the worried boy in front of her. – "Oh, sorry for that, Shinji, it's just something funny the girls told me..."  
  
"Uhm, ok..." – Shinji, Misato and Pen-Pen made their way to the beach and found a spot to settle. Shinji unfolded their umbrella and stuck in on the sand while Misato took care of the chairs and towels. When they were done, they seated to wait for the other girls.  
  
"Hey, Shinji, take that shirt off." – Misato spoke with a smile  
  
"Uh? Why?" – the kid seemed a bit uneasy with the older woman's suggestion.  
  
"Well, we are on the beach. And some sun on your skin wouldn't be bad." – seeing he was still undecided, Misato used a trump card. – "Besides, Tsuka wants it..."  
  
Defeated, Shinji did as he was asked and took his shirt off. Misato whistled playfully. – "Yeah, there you go, Shinji!"  
  
"Ah, Misato, stop it..." – Shinji was blushing again.  
  
"But it's so fun! And you look so cute when you blush!" – Misato continued teasing.  
  
"Hey, Shinji!" – Shinji turned around and saw the girls walking towards them, Tsuka on the lead, carrying their bags. He gulped when he realized Tsuka's attire was quite more revealing than the ones of her companions. – "Ah, man... " – he thought. The girls arrived and he stood up, Tsuka was in front of him, scanning his body up and down. – "You look good, Shinji." – the remark made his face burn. – "Was Misato flirting with you already?"  
  
"Come on, do you think I would do such a thing?" – Misato faked a pout.  
  
"Honestly?"- Asuka placed her bag on one of the chairs. – "It wouldn't be a surprise." – Rei completed, doing the same.  
  
"HEY! Have you all joined against me?!" – the older woman asked, a bit distressed now.  
  
Ignoring her, Tsuka took a step back, beaming at her boyfriend. – "So, Shinji, what you think?" – she asked, spinning around so Shinji could finally see exactly what type of cut her bikini had. The boy's eyes went wide open and his jaw dropped, he was speechless but to his credit he didn't faint as Asuka expected. Gulping again, he glanced at the younger redhead who seemed to be wating his reply as well, Rei was just smiling at him.  
  
"It's... well... provocative,Tsuka..."- he managed to say, blushing even more. – "It looks... very good on you, yeah, that's it."  
  
Asuka's only reaction was to raise an eyebrow slightly while Tsuka's smile spreaded. – "I'm so happy you liked it!" – she got closer and kissed him quickly on the lips. Giggling, Tsuka turned around and started running towards the water. – "Come on, guys, let's go swimming!" – Asuka looked at the boy for a brief moment with a musing expression before joining her sister while Rei looked at Misato.  
  
"Join us, major?" – she asked. Misato shook her head.  
  
"Maybe later, have fun." – Rei nodded and followed the redheads.   
  
Shinji watched the girls run and fall on the water, laughing, finally releasing their stress. – "A thong... she is wearing a thong..." – dangerous images assaulted his mind and, oddly enough, some of them included not one but two redheads... Feeling that blood threatened to erupt from his nose, he quickly looked the other way, just to find Misato and Pen-Pen staring at him, or most precisely, to his middle regions...  
  
"Well, Shinji, looks like you are... turned on..." – Misato giggled.  
  
"Wha..." – Shinji looked down and yelped. He fell on his knees with his legs locked together and his hands trying to cover the visible bulge in his trunks... Misato was laughing. – "Misato, please! This is embarrassing!" – he protested. It was a good thing Asuka didn't see it or there would be hell to pay...  
  
"Don't feel bad, Shinji, it's a natural reaction..." – Misato assured him.  
  
"I-I know... but you know how Asuka reacts to these things..." – images of an irate redhead about to "turn him off" as she put it flashed in his mind making him cringe.  
  
"Well, just relax and it will go away... or down..." – the purple-haired woman would not lose such a chance for teasing... "Or you could join them on the water, at least they would not see it..."  
  
"Uh, you know... I can't swim..." – Shinji was ashamed to admit that to his guardian.  
  
"Really?" – Misato was surprised. The boy nodded sheepishly and took a seat on one of the chairs. Covering his... embarrassing situation... with a towel, he picked his SDAT and pluged the phones to his ears. Pressing the 'play' button, he closed his eyes, letting the soft classical music calm him... and his buddy... down...  
  
* * *  
  
"Ahhhhh, this is so good..." – Tsuka just laid there, floating on the calm water, sometimes making some slow movements with her hands, Asuka not far away. The girls have swam and played a lot and now were merely enjoying doing nothing while Rei had joined the others on the sand, gaving the Soryu twins some privacy.  
  
"Yeah, it is..." – Asuka agreed. – "Too bad we can't do it more often..."  
  
"I wonder why Shinji has not joined us yet, though..." – Tsuka frowned a bit. – "... there he is, listening to music, when he could be here having fun with us..."  
  
"And exactly what kind of fun you wanted to have with him?" – the younger redhead asked.  
  
"Not the kind you just thought, you pervert." – the older one replied playfully.  
  
"Oh, right, I'm the pervert, says the German girl with the skimpy bathing suit..." – Asuka fired back. Moving her legs down, the girl stood in the water that reached her by the navel – "By the way, why black?"  
  
"Uh?" – Tsuka looked at her, standing as well.  
  
"The color of your bikini." – Asuka explained. – Black is nice but why not red, to match your hair? That's what I'd have got."  
  
"Well, I had my reasons..." – Tsuka said enigmatically. – "So you admit you'd have bought one of these, too? – she asked with a mischievous smile.  
  
"Hey, I'm talking about the color!" - protested Asuka. – "I have a red bathing suit... but you know it already."  
  
"Yes, yes, I know..."- Tsuka looked towards the direction where Shinji and the others were. – "Ok, that's it. I won't allow Shinji to spend a day on the beach and not entering the water, I'm bringing him here." – she started moving towards the beach.  
  
"Eh, knowing the baka, you'll need to drag him..." – Asuka said and then resumed her calm float...  
  
* * *  
  
"So, you don't know how to swim?" – Rei had asked why he had not entered the water so far and got that reply.  
  
"Well, yes... never had a chance to learn..." – Shinji confirmed shyly. Rei had laid her back on a towel and was reading some magazine she had brought. On her chair, with her eyes closed and both hands on the back of her head, Misato enjoyed the breeze while Pen-Pen was having an animated chat with... was that a turtle?  
  
It was then Shinji noticed Tsuka coming out of the water and walking towards him, with a determined look on her face, making him tense immediately. He watched in silence as she stopped in front of him, hands on her hips. – "Ok, Shinji, it's time. Shall we go?  
  
"Go? Go where?" – Shinji looked around nervously, Misato and Rei were now paying attention on the couple.  
  
"Silly-baka, into the water, of course!" – not giving him a chance to protest, she grabbed him by the wrist and started dragging him towards the water.  
  
"But, Tsuka! I don't know how to swim!" – the boy loooked back at Misato and Rei for support, but both had a "you're on your own, now" look. – "This won't end well... I can feel it..." – he thought.  
  
* * *  
  
Back on the water, Asuka saw her "sister" grab the Third Child and pull him towards the water under protest. – "Ah, so predictable..." – she got on to her feet and waited.  
  
"Now, Shinji, just relax and everyting will be fine.' – Tsuka instructed as they entered the water and moved near Asuka. Shinji gulped as the water got deeper. Soon, they were in front of Asuka who was actually grinning at the boy's obvious uneasiness. – "What's it, don't tell me the invincible Shinji is afraid? – she teased.  
  
"He can't swim, that's all."- explained Tsuka.  
  
"You are not serious. THE INVINCIBLE THIRD CHILD IS AFRAID OF WATER?" – Asuka looked at Shinji who silently nodded. – "I simply can't accept that, come over here, you survived Angels before, a little water can't stop you."  
  
Shinji looked at Tsuka, who gave him a reassuring nod. – "Ok..." – he moved towards the younger redhead but after two steps one of his feet found a small depression and he lost his balance. Gasping, he extended one arm trying to find some support. Caught by surprise, Asuka tried to step back but she was too slow on the water. She watched as Shinji's hand passed close to her face and grabbed the pull of her top zipper, opening it. There was a snap and Shinji finally collapsed into the water... taking the slider of her top zipper with him...  
  
Asuka, shocked, looked down to her now exposed breasts. In front of her, Shinji, after some struggle, was again on his feet. He found himself unable to move, his right hand still holding the broken piece of the redhead's bikini top zipper, his wide open eyes focused on the two round beauties. He remained like that for several moments then he slowly raised his head, just to find Asuka glaring at him, her expression changed from shock to rage, a vein poping on her forehead. Shinji gulped. Asuka was griting her teeth, her hands balled in fists, all her (very nice) body shaking. He gulped again. She was about to blow up and he was very inside the blast radius...  
  
"Uh, Asuka..."  
  
"YOU..."  
  
"I... it was... I mean..."  
  
"BAKA..."  
  
"Please..."  
  
"HENTAI!!!!!"  
  
Shinji yelped and took a step back but Asuka kept the distance moving forward, the unfortunate boy could swear the ground had shaken as if she was in her Eva. Sweatig profusely, Shinji tried once more to engage an apology...  
  
"Asuka, I didn't have the intention! It was an accident!"  
  
"Accident!" – came the furious reply – "I'll give you an accident, Third Child!"  
  
Shinji gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, preparing for the unavoidable, when he heard the sound of giggles. Both him and Asuka turned to see Tsuka, hands on her hips, obviously very amused with the whole situation.  
  
"Now, now, Shinji, what a nice mess you got yourself into..." – Tsuka teased, trying her best not to burst into laughter.  
  
"What's so funny?" – snarled Asuka. She was so angry she even forgot to try covering her chest, which was very bad for Shinji, while he was very afraid he also could not ignore the sight of a beautiful half-naked girl in front of him, right now he was fighting desperately to prevent a nasty nosebleed... and trying to keep that certain part of his anatomy down...  
  
"Come on, sis, it's not that bad." – Tsuka poked her "sister" on the shoulder – "It actully gives us a good chance..."  
  
"Chance? Chance for what?" – asked Asuka, puzzled now.  
  
"Yeah, chance for what?" – repeated Shinji, not sure if he really wanted to know.  
  
Tsuka smiled mischievously. She moved towards Shinji. – "A chance for you to answer a question I asked you before..." – As she got very close to the boy, Tsuka suddenly brought her hands to the back of her neck, untied the straps of her bikini top and brought it down, shoving her now naked chest on Shinji's face, an action that made Asuka's jaw drop. – "Do you think my breasts are bigger than Asuka's?"  
  
[Seraph of Strife: Marcos, you are making me turn purple here…]  
  
That was more than the brave pilot of Unit-01 could take. Some muffled sounds left his mouth, a splash of blood from his nose then his eyes rolled back and he fell dead cold on his back. Not struggling now, his limp body floated serenely on the navel level water...  
  
Still holding her bikini straps, smiling kindly, Tsuka looked at the unconscious form of her boyfried. – "My, my, Shinji, will you nerver change?"  
  
"Gee, how did... how will "I" change that much?'" – was what Asuka was thinking, now covering her chest.  
  
On the sand, below their umbrella, Misato watched the scene and was laughing while Rei just smiled. Pen-Pen, laid on a beach chair, wearing sunglasses, with one flipper in the back of its head, the other holding a cocktail, was happily ignoring all of that. Not far away, Haruka also watched the events, with the eternal cigarrete on the corner of her mouth. – "Remembers a lot my nephew and his girlfriend..." – she thought, whit a smirk on her face.  
  
* * *  
  
Letting Tsuka taking care of the passed out Shinji (something Tsuka was not unhappy with at all...) Asuka walked out of the water. As she neared the others, Rei put the magazine she was reading aside and picked up Asuka's bag, handing it to her.  
  
"I believe you want to change your bathing suit..." – Rei said, with a smile  
  
"Uh, yeah, thanks..." – Asuka replied, still a bit uneasy with Rei's cheerful behavior.  
  
Picking her bag, the redhead walked towards the dressing room, not before giving Misato one of her trademark death glares, the purple haired woman had stopped laughing but still had an awful grin on her face. The dressing room was not far away and Asuka didn't find many people on the way there, but the few representatives of the male community who looked at her as she walked by covering her chest with an arm, all received a glare that could freeze fire.  
  
Inside the dresing room, Asuka placed her bag on the side and took a deep breathe. – "Damn... everyting was fine so far..." – she thought. Shaking her head, the redhead opened her bag to get a new suit when she found somethng strange in there. Puzzled, she took out a small gift wrapped package she hadn't noticed before, a small note attached to it. Opening it, she found her own calligraphy, meaning only Tsuka could have put it there. She read: - 'Just in case...'. Placing the note aside, she opened the package and, with great surprise, found a bikini identical to the one Tsuka was wearing, except the color, this one was red, their color but Tsuka had let it to her. For several moments she didn't move, then as for impulse, she took off what was left of her old bikini and put the new one on, she blushed a little when she saw on her hown body how little it hid. But it fitted very well on her and despite her previous remark, she considered wearing it for the rest of the day. But she finally let out a sad sigh and took it off, changing to a one-piece red bathing suit. – "Thanks, sis, but I'm not you... not yet, at least...".  
  
Asuka then went out the dressing room and walked back to where the others were, in time to see Rei helping Tsuka with a still limp Shinji, dragging him out of the water and laying him on a towel near Misato.  
  
"Has the baka drowned?" – Asuka asked, with a hint of concern.  
  
"He surely swallowed some water when he passed out..." – Rei answered. – "He may need resuscitation procedures."  
  
"I can handle that!" – cried out Tsuka before kneeling on Shinji's side, place her mouth on his and start sending air into Shinji's lungs... or so it seemed to most unaware people...  
  
Asuka's eyes rolled. – "I should have seen that one coming..." – she thought.– "I'm going to get something to drink..." - she said looking at the other females – "what about you, people?"  
  
"Please, get me a beer... or two..." - replied Misato.  
  
"Sure, sure... Rei?"  
  
"I don't need anything right now, Asuka, thank you." – was the albino's response. Turning around, Rei began to trace her left hand index finger in a circle in front of Misato's face, "You will not drink and drive today…"  
  
"And you, sister, wanna something? Besides an icepack for your lips, that is..."  
  
Tsuka raised her grinning face – "Thanks, sis, I have all I need, too." – and went back to her attempts to bring Shinji back to life... ^_^  
  
Slaping her own forehead, Asuka turned around and walked towards the beachouse...  
  
[End Fan-service….thank God, was I ever that….ecchi in my writing? Please answer that question in the review section]  
  
As Asuka approached the bar, she noticed a figure dressed in a trenchcoat heading to one of the rooms. Long hair, ponytail, with a shaggy beard…"Kaji??" she thought. Completely forgetting about the drinks, the EVA-pilot shadowed after the secret agent.  
  
"What is he doing here?" Asuka thought, "Maybe a secret tryst with some woman?" The thought of her man mangling with some underage harlot set the girl's mind a blaze with evil possibilities. As Kaji settled himself on to one of the tables in the corner of the beachhouse, Asuka moved to an adjacent table, artfully covering herself with a nearby tropical plant. A few minutes later, the innkeeper came back, dressed in a black bikini covered artfully by an apron.   
  
"Kaji-san", she murmured a greeting.   
  
"Haruka-dono", the secret agent bowed, "I got your message, so how is he?"   
  
Lighting a fresh coffin nail with the butt of her last cig, "Tired, pissed off, depressed, and drunk."  
  
"Drunk?", Kaji asked, stoned dead.   
  
"Drunk.", Haruku replied, puffing the new cig.   
  
The secret agent froze at the thought of Gerald[Shinji] getting wasted. Racking his brain for memories, Kaji could not recall anytime in the last ten years anyone has seen Gerald being anything resembling the blissful college-trademarked state. "This is really bad.", he thought. Blandly pushing aside Haruka, the secret agent opened the side door and entered inside. Pausing a second, the innkeeper sighed, then blew out her cig and went in, closing the door behind her.   
  
Asuka, perplexed, tip-toed behind and began to listen through the door as the voices faintly floated out the other end .   
  
Kaji: "Gerald, wake-up man, yo…"   
  
Some silence followed. Then Asuka heard something like the sound of slapping.  
  
"Wake up!", Kaji ordered more firmly from the other end. In response, a gunshot rang out. Nearly scared the wits out the German girl as she jumped away from the door, with the honed reflexes from nearly a year worth of experience living as a tenant with Misato. Looking around, Asuka saw none of the other patrons noticed anything; "How could they?", the girl mused. "This is Japan, not Germany." Most of the locals have their experience with weaponry only in films on TV, or anime shows with no real basis whatsoever. Letting go her breath and pausing to calm her pumping heart, Asuka turned around and listened again.   
  
"……lost almost everything." Someone answered on the other end, with a perfect Japanese tone, for someone with a gaijin name.   
  
"We still got Jing, the other girl, and Kaze is…well Kaze. We also got a large stash of weapons hidden in the Angel-raid Shelter, not to mention three self-defense regiments that are even now infiltrating the city as migrant workers." Kaji replied, his voice slightly muffled by the door.   
  
"But all those lives lost…", Gerald wailed, "I failed them all…After all I did, it amounted to nothing!"   
  
Using a tone Asuka never heard before, Kaji replied, his voice splintering ice: "WE are still alive. The Third Impact has not occurred so far. NERV has been set back repeatedly by your efforts. The others sacificed their lives to ensure you could live, so you can make sure the rest of humanity stay alive too, SIR."   
  
A long pause followed: "….you must feel irritated that I am your superior, after you pulled my sorry corpse out that morgue, and now I am calling it quits."   
  
"No, because you helped me find out the truth…so now my brother can rest in peace, now we have to help each other to make sure the party responsible for this mess gets their due, and to make sure the Third Impact remains theoretical, e?", Kaji paused a few seconds, then added: "Haruka-dono, something to help my little friend to clear his head?"  
  
"I will see what I can find, coffee?"   
  
"That should do it, meanwhile…"  
  
Asuka then heard the sound of glass bottle clinking and a chair of some kind being dragged across the floor. Discretly, she moved away from the door, just as the middle-aged lady opened the door again. Asuka head begin to spin as she tried to replay the whole conversation in her mind. "What does all this mean? Defense force troops infiltrating the city? Kaji? The destruction of the NERV bases? Kaji-san is part of a greater conspiracy than working for HQ?" The young redhead was becoming throughly confused while being direly curious about the identity of Kaji's friend. But alas, Haruka closed the door too quickly to prevent Asuka from getting a good look of the occupants. Sighing, she moved to a nearby counter, and ordered something long and stiff to calm her nerves.   
  
Just then an trembling hand landed around Asuka's shoulder. Screaming bloody hell with thoughts of her eardropping being discovered, the German girl turned around with an accelerated speed and sent her fist slamming into the offender's face. With a crunch and a moan, the pilot of Unit-01 collapsed on the ground with his nose bleeding.   
  
"Asuka…I am sorrrrrrry…", then Shinji promptly passed out. Around them, a small crowd began to gather, with of all people, Wondergirl in lead. The blue-haired goddess looked down on the unconcious boy, then Asuka, then Shinji again, until her Azure gaze moved back up and locked on with Asuka's red... " Shinji is not an anime character you know."   
  
"Ummmm." Asuka actually had the good grace of blushing.   
  
T.B.C   
  
Well, it has been a long time since I updated. My writing is running into rocks. An extremely unpleasant event occurred in my life recently, and sent my willingness to write and taste of EVA into hell. I still plan to continue about once a month, with the final ending be done by Christmas time.   
  
  
  
On the side of shameless promotion: [www.Evamade.com/forum] Post your Eva Fic here! Hangout, talk about life, EVA, Roleplaying, have fun, go crazy and everything else. All my work from now on usually gets posted two weeks before hitting Fanfiction.net, so sign up and join us today! 


	20. CHAINED!

Hemmm….and thus another chapter begins. Sorry for the lateness, but now is Marco's turn of running into problems, and myself I have a lot of work during school (midterm 4X next week!) to put too much effort into it at any given time (Warcraft3 Defense of the ancient, DX style!) Anyway, before we get to the story….   
  
  
  
Hi! This is story is also post on www.Evamade.com, the new and only remaining great EVA forum (that actually still active and talk about EVA!) and Fanfic hosting site. You work will never be flamed senselessly by a group of "Eva insiders" who would declare your work trash just because you were not in their club, because we are often writers that were declared "unfit" by the mainstream EVA writers. Join today! That is [www.evamade.com/forum].   
  
  
  
The usual legal disclaimers: I am not trying to be Anno, nor send him to another depression, usurp his personality, steal money from Gainax, or steal any other copyrighted material, or eat your buildings, burn your women, or rape your livestock. Your lawsuit will be rendered ineffective by my absolute lack of money, so lets not waste both of our times. Oh, I am not getting paid doing this either, besides reviews from my readers, and from cheers my lovely E-sister. (^_^)  
  
  
  
This chapter was inspired by Ryo Kusanagi's "Chained", ChiRho's "Ikari Doctrine" and the James Bond movie "Tomorrow Never Dies" And of course, with Marco's help, genius, inspiration and ecchiness.  
  
  
  
Chapter I lost my track sometime around 15th.   
  
  
  
New-Tokyo-3 First Municipal Junior High School  
  
A few days after the trip to the beach...  
  
  
  
The old teacher walked calmly on the corridors of the school, ready for another day of lectures about the Second Impact. Boring stuff, definitely. Yet, he was paid to talk about it for hours and hours. If the students would not complain (even because they had stopped paying attention to it long ago...) he would not be the one to. He arrived at his destination, class 2-A, and entered it. As usual, the students who were not at their desks already scrambled to their seats, the old man barely noticed that this time the class rep Hikari was oddly silent as well, and the fact that a certain duo of Eva pilots seemed reluctant to take a seat. After the traditional "rise, bow, seat" routine, he took a few minutes to check his notes after he addressed the class.  
  
  
  
"Well, class, today..." – the teacher stopped mid-sentence as he noticed something quite unusual: Shinji Ikari was sharing his desk with one of the German redheads, and by the upset look on the girl's face, a contrast with the more content one on her twin's, he concluded that the girl at Ikari's side was Asuka. The old man raised an eyebrow.  
  
  
  
"Mr. Ikari, Ms. Soryu, is there a reason for you two be sharing a desk today? Besides, maybe, trying to prove that the opposite attract?"  
  
  
  
That joke made the class erupt in laughter, one not shared by the said couple, as well another one...  
  
  
  
The two pilots looked at each other then with a sigh Shinji raised his left hand while Asuka raised her right, letting their teacher see the reason of their strange proximity: there was a pair of shiny stainless steel handcuffs binding their arms together.  
  
More laughter came from the class while the old man just stared at them for a couple of minutes.  
  
  
  
"Interesting..." – he said finally after a Gendoque pause. – "...Could someone explain to me the reason of this?"  
  
  
  
The couple turned their heads to glare at someone at the teacher's left, so did the rest of the class. Followed their suit, the teacher did the same, to see that the target of their attention was nobody but the class rep, Hikari Horaki, at the moment trying her best to hide behind a book.  
  
  
  
"Ms.Horaki ."the sensei asked slowly, enjoying a small yelp from the girl in question as the book flew out her hand, – "Mind to explain this situation?"  
  
  
  
Silence fell over the class as everyone turned their attention on the class rep, watching her face turning a crimson shade of red and start poking the tips of her index-fingers. Dum, dum, dum  
  
  
  
"W-Well, you see... it's kind of a long story..."  
  
  
  
The old man chuckled. Slowly leaned back on his seat, he took his glasses off and started cleaning the lens with a handkerchief.  
  
  
  
"We have time, Ms. Horaki. Besides, I'm sure it will be more interesting than the usual lectures."  
  
  
  
Hikari: Blush X5  
  
Class: Laughter X25  
  
The Strife Lord: Fell over his seat. X1  
  
  
  
"This was not in my scenario..." – she moaned to herself, taking a deep breathe, and begins.  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
A park on Tokyo-3  
  
The same day the Children went to the beach a few weeks back.   
  
  
  
Toji Suzuhara and his girlfriend, the class rep Hikari Horaki were walking together, holding hands. Both were blushing a little and had this silly smile on their faces. How cute.   
  
  
  
"It's a nice day..." – Toji said absently, looking at the sky, maybe for the third or fourth time as he trying to rack his mind for a romantic line of some kind. Of course, being him, it is not working.   
  
  
  
"Yes, it is..." – replied the girl, also for the third or fourth time.  
  
  
  
Ah, young love...  
  
  
  
"You know, we should do this more often..." – the boy said, looking at the freckled girl. She giggled, grabbed his arm with both hands and rest her head on his shoulder with a sigh.  
  
  
  
"We sure should..." – she replied softly. They continued to walk in silence for some minutes until they found a bench and seated.   
  
  
  
"I feel sorry for Kensuke." – Hikari spoke after a long pause. – "He's the only not enjoying the day, grounded in that hospital while we're here and the others on the beach..."  
  
  
  
"Well, we are enjoying it but Shinji has the two Devils over him." – the joke replied, eliciting an frown from his girlfriend.  
  
  
  
"Don't say such things! I'm sure they are all having a good time! And Tsuka is not that bad to him!"  
  
  
  
"Well, true, she's just a bit possessive..." – Toji cringed as he recalled the catfight between Tsuka and that girl, Mana. – "and what about Asuka? The world will end before those two get along."  
  
  
  
"Nonsense!" – said Hikari in defense of her friend. – "I'm sure they can be very good friends, they only need more time."  
  
  
  
"Eh, they already live in the same place, attend the same class and has the same job." – Toji decided to prove his point. – "They even performed that crazy training program some time ago, can you imagine they being closer than that?"  
  
  
  
"Well, maybe that had not been enough..." – the girl thought absently.  
  
  
  
"Of course, we could always throw a party, get them drunk, then find a minister and they would wake up married in the morning..." – the boy provided. The class rep glared at him, making him sweatdrop. – "Or maybe not..."  
  
  
  
Hikari sighed. – "Anyway, the point is, right now they are having fun, not fighting each other like cat and dog."  
  
  
  
"I'd say tiger and mouse..."   
  
"Suzuhara!" – the girl exclaimed. – "And you say you're his friend!"  
  
  
  
"Fine, fine!" – the boy raised his hands defensively. – "Why don't we check on them?"  
  
  
  
After a few seconds, Hikari nodded and Toji reached for his cell phone, dialed Shinji's number and waited. After several moments, the voice of one of the redheads responded on the other end.  
  
  
  
"Hello?"  
  
  
  
Toji didn't know which one she was but his thoughtless reply was the same...  
  
  
  
"Demon? What are you doing on this line?"  
  
  
  
The next second he almost threw the phone away as high volume German curses hit his ear at terminal….EVA like speed. Holding it as far as he could, he motioned a sweat dropping Hikari to pick it up.  
  
  
  
"You better talk to her..."  
  
  
  
Carefully, Hikari picked the shaking device. Keeping it at a distance so her hearing would not be permanently scarred, she spoke on it.  
  
  
  
"Asuka?"  
  
  
  
The cursing immediately stopped and a now cheerful voice replied. – "Hikari? It's Tsuka here! What's up? Are you and that moron walking in the park holding hands?" – the redhead giggled while on the other side of the line the freckled girl blushed and Toji's face turned into a familiar shade of green.  
  
  
  
"Actually, we are..."  
  
  
  
"Ah, how cute!" – Tsuka teased. – "But you didn't call just to say that, did you?  
  
  
  
"Not really, we just wanted to know if you guys are having a good time."  
  
  
  
"Oh, we sure are, even Ayanami!  
  
  
  
"I'm glad to hear that!" – Hikari covered the phone with one hand and looked that her boyfriend. – "I told you!" They are having a good time there!".  
  
  
  
The Jock just shrugged. She stuck her tongue at him and turned her attention back to her friend.  
  
  
  
"Tell me, Tsuka, how are Shinji and Asuka doing?  
  
  
  
"Well, Shinji is kinda sleeping right now..."  
  
  
  
"Really? Were you playing games and such?  
  
  
  
"Actually, Asuka K.Oed him..."  
  
  
  
Hikari's jaw dropped. – "Asuka knocked him out?!" – she repeated out loud. Nearby, Toji started a roaring wave of laughter.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, there was an... um, accident... involved Shinji and Asuka's top and she ended up a bit... exposed..."  
  
  
  
"Oh, my..."  
  
  
  
"He tried to apologize a little later but he startled her and she reacted by reflex..."  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that, Tsuka!"  
  
  
  
"Eh, don't worry about that, tomorrow they will be their normal selves again."  
  
  
  
"Ah, well, so I see you in the school, then. Tell Asuka I called, ok?"  
  
  
  
"No problem. Bye"  
  
  
  
"Bye."  
  
  
  
Hikari stared at the phone (now glowing low battery) for several seconds before putting it down. – "I don't believe it..."  
  
  
  
"I told you." – Toji was still laughing. – "So the First Demon knocked him out? What did he do?"  
  
  
  
"An accident, as Tsuka called it, with Asuka's top..."  
  
  
  
"Oh, I can picture the rest..." – the image of a topless Asuka danced in front of Toji and almost made him drool. – "I'd like to have seen that..."  
  
  
  
Hikari's eyebrow twitched. She raised her right hand and a second later Toji receive his trademark punishment.   
  
  
  
"Baka hentai..."  
  
  
  
"Ouch, that hurt..." – the boy rubbed the spot on his face where he was hit.  
  
  
  
"There must be something we can do about those two." – Hikari said.  
  
  
  
"Uh?" – Toji blinked. – "Are you talking about Shinji and Asuka? You just heard what her sister said!"  
  
  
  
"She said it was an accident. I still believe they just need more time together." – the girl countered.  
  
  
  
"And how do you plan to accomplish this, specially after today?"  
  
Hikari sighed. - "I don't know yet. For now, I'll keep an eye on them. If they work it on their own, good, otherwise we intervene."  
  
  
  
"We?" – Toji gulped. – "You are using that 'we' a little too generously".  
  
  
  
"Of course, I'll need your help on this." -the girl declared with one hand in the air, – "But let's forget it for now and resume our walk, ok?" – she replied with an smile.  
  
  
  
Toji smiled, too. Getting back to his feet, he took her hand again. Soon they left the park and were walking on the streets of Tokyo-3. Eventually, they passed in front a movie theater and stopped to see the posters. One of them had a handsome, long-haired guy with a big gun in one of his hands, running with a gorgeous girl on his side, explosions splashed all over the background. One interesting bit, they were chained to each other.  
  
  
  
Hikari raised an eyebrow. – "How kinky... But I wonder if…" – she thought.  
  
  
  
Toji noticed her blank stare. – "Is there something wrong?"  
  
  
  
The girl blinked and looked at him, smiling. – "No, nothing. It's just an idea I had..."  
  
  
  
Toji looked at his girlfriend then back at the posters, wondering what was in her mind. – "Ok..."  
  
  
  
In the next few days, which were really uneventful given Tokyo-3's nature, Hikari, as promised, kept an eye on Asuka and Shinji and their mutual behavior, she even asked Tsuka, in a way it didn't raise suspicions. She finally decided to go ahead with her idea; she only needed her reluctant boyfriend to get something...  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
Class 2-A  
  
Present day, not an hour earlier…  
  
  
  
Hikari was the only one in class so far, she had arrived early to meet her boyfriend and talk to him about her plans for the Eva pilots. She didn't wait for long. Toji entered the classroom and was greeted with a kiss on the cheeks. – "So, did you bring them?"  
  
  
  
Toji nodded glumly with the fear of impending doom in his eyes, – "Yeah, here they are..." – he took a small box from his bag and opened it, revealing its contents to the girl: a pair of brand-new, sparkling handcuffs.  
  
  
  
"Wow, they look really impressive!" – the girl said. – "Where you got them?"   
  
  
  
"Well, they were Kensuke's, actually." – the boy explained. – "He bought it on somewhere online that sells military equipment, E-bay, I think. He gave them to me shortly after Rei moved in, something about "not giving her ideas"...  
  
  
  
Hikari looked at him in confusion…then she got it. – "Oh, I see...wow."  
  
  
  
Toji looked at her with a worried expression. – "Look, Hikari-san, are you really sure about this? They will be really pissed off about this... and they work for NERV, we may get erased or worse!"  
  
  
  
"Don't be so dramatic! –she replied with a wave of her hand. – "I realize we can't keep this for long but if they need to rely on each other unconditionally, even if just for a couple of hours, it will be a learning experience."  
  
  
  
Toji sighed. – "I hope you are right..."  
  
  
  
Hikari softened her tone, smiling at him. – "Now hide them and be ready, they must arrive soon now..."  
  
  
  
Slowly, other students filed in, among them the young Ikari and his fiery roommates. Hikari waited a few minutes then she started calling some of the students to deliver paperwork or cleaning tasks, the last ones were Shinji and Asuka. It was Toji's cue. As the couple listened to what the class rep had to say, he sneaked from behind them, reaching for the handcuffs in his pocket. Tsuka and other students noticed his odd behavior but before anyone could say a thing…  
  
  
  
Click.  
  
  
  
"What?!"  
  
  
  
"Hey!"  
  
  
  
Shinji and Asuka looked dumbfounded at their now chained wrists then at Toji. Tsuka and the rest of the students stared at the group in shocked silence.  
  
  
  
The Jock, despite all his fears concerning his girlfriend's idea, could not hold himself…  
  
  
  
"Got you!" – he shouted happily but his happiness didn't last as two pairs of hands grabbed him by the collar of his jacket. Passed the shock, Asuka AND Shinji now shared an outraged look on their faces as they glared at Toji at point-blank range.  
  
  
  
"What the hell is this about?!" – they asked in a quite loud voice. The Jock gulped. Hikari wanted them to work together and it seemed their first teamwork would be skinning her boyfriend alive…  
  
  
  
"Hikari! Help, please???"  
  
  
  
"Asuka! Shinji! Let him go! It was my idea!" – the freckled girl called.  
  
  
  
A collective "WHAT?!" came from everybody in ear range.  
  
  
  
"Say again?" – Tsuka asked softly, not believing that her best friend could conceive something like that.  
  
  
  
"It was my idea…" - the class rep repeated, looking down blushing.  
  
  
  
Silence. Toji landed on his butt as the couple released him. Then laughter, cries and whistles erupted…  
  
  
  
"I told you she would snap one day!"  
  
  
  
"Way to go, Hikari!"  
  
  
  
"Hanging around with Suzuhara could only end on this, how sad…"  
  
  
  
"It is always the quiet one…"  
  
  
  
"Handcuffs! I wonder what more she has on stock?"  
  
  
  
"Well, I heard of long term Class Rep-ing can lead to S&M tendeicies.."  
  
  
  
"Living in sin my a…"  
  
  
  
"You own me money…"  
  
  
  
Hikari, Toji, Shinji and the Asukas sweatdropped. After the other students calmed down, Asuka came face to face with her friend, crossing her arms… or so she tried since it was quite difficult to do that with Shinji in tow…  
  
  
  
"All right, spit it out."  
  
  
  
"Y-You see," – Hikari started, looking at them apologetically, her usual public speaking fineness deserted under the glare of her best friends. – "You two have been living and working together for a long time but still you are always fighting…"  
  
  
  
"Ah, she is saying the demons are always torturing him…" – muttered Toji.  
  
  
  
"QUIET, STOOGE!" – two redheads shouted. The jock shrank, even Shinji had an upset look on his face.  
  
  
  
"Please, Hikari, go on." – the boy asked.  
  
  
  
"Well, I thought if you two had to remained this close and work along, this might help breaking the ice…"  
  
  
  
"And you thought that using handcuffs was the best way to accomplish this? – Tsuka chuckled. – "I must give you credit, I never considered this, maybe Misato…"  
  
  
  
Asuka and Shinji looked at Tsuka for a moment then back at Hikari. With a smile (and remembering Tsuka intense interest of having a threesome), Asuka stepped forward and placed her hands on Hikari's shoulders.  
  
  
  
"Hikari, you are my best friend and I'm sure you just wanted to help…" – the class rep smiled weakly… just before Asuka started shaking her as a rag doll. – "BUT THAT WAS THE MOST F***** UP IDEA YOU EVER HAD!"  
  
  
  
"EEEEEPPPPP!!!!!"  
  
  
  
Asuka released her and Hikari fell dizzy on her seat. She then turned to Toji.  
  
  
  
"Open this thing!"  
  
  
  
"What if I refuse?" – the boy dared to say; unhappy with the way his girlfriend was treated. Asuka's eyebrows twitched but before she could do something potentially harmful, do something fatal for that matter, Shinji cut in:  
  
  
  
"Toji, we have to perform a series of tests after school. If we don't do well or unable to perform at all, they will want to know the reasons."- The first child added without even blinking, – "And guess who will be blamed?"  
  
  
  
Toji paled. He looked at the class rep with a pleading look. She shrugged in defeat.  
  
  
  
"This is not working as I imagined…"  
  
  
  
Toji said nothing. Standing up, he reached for the handcuffs' key and preceded to open them… or better, he tried…  
  
  
  
"C'mon, be faster with that!" – Asuka said annoyance in her voice.  
  
  
  
"I'm trying!" – cried the Jock, sweating. – "But it's not giving off!"  
  
  
  
Crack.  
  
  
  
"Oh, crap…"  
  
  
  
Toji had a look on doom on his face (for the fifth time this fic) as he looked at the now broken key on his hand, then at Asuka, then at the keys. The students all stood in silence, as if giving a memorial to the dead…or soon will be dead, some of the girls turned around to avoid looking at the impending violence... Both children were also looking at the broken key, then slowly raised their heads to face the Jock.  
  
  
  
"Suzuhara, you are sooooo dead…" - they said it together (amazing, Shinji is growing up isn't he?)  
  
  
  
The teacher appeared on the door at this time and Hikari used the opportunity to save her boyfriend, at least for now…  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
Back to the present…  
  
  
  
The teacher and late arriving students listened attentively to Hikari's story. Definitely, it was much better than the usual Second Impact lectures. There were a few minutes of silence after she finished then the old man finally broke the silence.  
  
  
  
"Well, Ms. Horaki, I'm sure you had the best of intentions…"  
  
  
  
The class rep blushed and bowed slightly.  
  
  
  
"…of course, hell is full of them…"  
  
  
  
Bonk.  
  
  
  
Toji sweat dropped as he watched his girlfriend hit her desk with her forehead.  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
NERV HQ  
  
  
  
So far, it had been a calm day at the command center. With all their tasks up-to-date, the bridge bunnies were enjoying a brief break. Nearby, sub-commander Fuyutsuki calmly reading a novel dated back in late 20th century by a author named Luis Bjurd Macmaster...  
  
  
  
Shigeru Aoba was currently humming some classic guitar song when a phone rang on his console. Picking it up promptly, he listened to the person on the other side.  
  
  
  
"What?" Say it again..." – Maya and Makoto stopped what they were doing, turned around and looked at him, while Fuyutsuki raised his eyebrows in curosity. – "Are you sure about her identity? Ok, I'll report this to the sub-commander." – he put the phone down and scratched his head.  
  
  
  
Raising an eyebrow, the sub-commander approached him. – "What is it, lieutenant?"  
  
  
  
The long-haired man looked at his superior, then reported: – "The Section 2 team overseeing the Children at school reported something... quite unusual... It seems that the Second and Third have been handcuffed to each other."  
  
  
  
Fuyutsuki's eyes went wide open. – "Handcuffed? Shinji and... Asuka?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, sir." – Aoba looked at his companions, both with shocked expressions on their faces.  
  
  
  
"Kinky..." – said Maya after some moments.  
  
  
  
"Awful..." – Makoto began, shaking his head. – "Who would be evil enough to think of that?"  
  
  
  
Suddenly, Gendo's empty chair found itself under the glare of several people...  
  
  
  
"Well, it seems to be some kind of prank or challenge from some of their classmates." – Aoba explained.  
  
  
  
"I see..." – Fuyutsuki said, trying to repress a chuckle. – "Well, pass this to Dr. Akagi, she may find it interesting in the light of the Children's scheduled sync tests this afternoon."  
  
  
  
"Yes, sir!"  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
What remained of the first period after Hikari finished her tale went quite uneventful, with the chained couple trying to cope with the situation under the occasional glance of their classmates as chains give off click sound each time one of them tried to move. When the bell to the lunch break rang and the students started to leave the classroom, they gave Toji and Hikari a combined death glare then left. The freckled sighed heavily and looked down.  
  
  
  
"What have I done?"  
  
  
  
Someone patted her on the shoulder; the class Rep looked up to see Tsuka smiling at her.  
  
  
  
"Don't worry about it, Hikari, I don't know about your dumb fiancé but they will forgive you eventually."  
  
  
  
"You're so carefree about this…"- Hikari replied. – "Are you not upset with me? Shinji is your boyfriend, isn't he?"  
  
  
  
"I don't mind to share him with my sister."- the redhead said, but Hikari was long too shocked by the recent events to reply something moralistic, – "Now let's go, there's no point in staying behind all mournful…"  
  
  
  
They left the classroom, Hikari went to find Toji while Tsuka looked for Shinji and Asuka, it took her a few minutes to find the chained couple in a quiet spot, eating their lunch and trying to ignore the glances directed to them by the other students who passed by.  
  
  
  
"Hey, guys, how are you doing?"  
  
  
  
Shinji and Asuka looked at her and sighed.  
  
  
  
"I'll survive, I am the best." – was all Asuka said.  
  
  
  
"C'mon, it can't be that bad…"  
  
  
  
Asuka looked angrily at her "sister" while Shinji deliver his usual mournful look.  
  
  
  
"You didn't have to go to the bathroom with baka boy here in tow."  
  
  
  
"I didn't find it an amusing experience, either"- countered the boy.  
  
  
  
"Ah, as if you would waste a chance to see my panties!"  
  
  
  
"I've seen more than that before, remember?"  
  
  
  
The duo exchanged lighting bolts through their eyes….well more like Shinji firing with a musket while Asuka had EVA-Grade Cannons.  
  
  
  
"Uh, guys, let's calm down, ok?" – Tsuka said with a wave of her hand. – "As soon as we arrive at NERV they will find a way to free you."  
  
  
  
"They better… I need both hands free to reduce that Jock into pulp."   
  
  
  
"What about Hikari? –Shinji asked. – "She's your best friend, you're not going to do anything to her, will you?"  
  
  
  
"I'll think about it." The redhead replied as she took a heroic bite out of the sandwich.  
  
  
  
Tsuka laughed while somewhere else said boy and girl shivered…  
  
  
  
Second period, and third, and forth, and five, and sixth came and went quickly for the Children and soon they were heading to NERV…  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
NERV HQ  
  
  
  
"Amazing..."  
  
  
  
That was Dr. Akagi's first word after the Children arrived at the base and so she could confirm the report Lt. Aoba had given her was not a joke. Being the professional type, she immediately started creating scenarios to use the situation to their benefit (Them as in NERV). And while she could keep a straight face, the same could not be said about the fearless director of operations...  
  
  
  
"So, that was Ms. Horaki's idea?" – she asked between giggles. – "I never thought she had that in her."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, it was a shock for me as well." – Asuka replied with an tied indignant frown, her fire nearly depleted from the day's adventure. – "Now, can we get rid of these things?" - to make her point she raised her handcuffed hand, obliging Shinji to do the same while the chain jiggled. Nearby, Tsuka just watched with a smile on her face.  
  
  
  
Ritsuko picked up her usual clipboard and was reading it – "We'll look at this after the tests."  
  
  
  
The Children's eyes, even Tsuka's, went wide open. They looked at each other. – "But how are we supposed to get into our test plugs chained like this?" – Shinji asked.  
  
  
  
"That won't be an issue today," – explained the scientist. – "...You and Asuka are to perform the tests together in the same test plug."  
  
  
  
"What?!" – Shinji and Asuka almost jumped out of their chairs at that statement. Tsuka looked at them then back at Ritsuko – "What's the purpose of this, Dr. Akagi?"  
  
  
  
Misato, regaining a bit of her professional look (which meant she didn't have a beer haze covering her eyes), explained. – "Some months ago, when Unit-02 was being brought to Japan, Shinji and your sister had to fight the sixth angel together. Their combined sync ratio was quite impressive."  
  
  
  
"Correct." – confirmed the blond woman, looking at the chained couple. – "This series of tests is to check if you can do it under less stressing, laboratory controlled situations."  
  
  
  
"Less stressing?" – there was noticeable sarcasm in the Shinji's voice.  
  
  
  
"Riiiight..." – Asuka's tone was not much different.  
  
  
  
Misato crossed her arms, hardening her face. – "Now, you two are Eva pilots, you've been facing the biggest threats to mankind up to date, don't tell me you can't handle this simple test, you are more professional than that!"  
  
  
  
Both kids looked down, feeling guilty, while Ritsuko sneak a glance at her friend from behind her clipboard – "Whoa, she's acting like a Major for once! I wonder how long it will last..." – she thought. Noting Tsuka had raised her hand,– "Yes, Tsuka?"  
  
  
  
"Will I have the opportunity to score with Shinji, too?"  
  
  
  
Misato tilted her head to one side, raising an eyebrow. – "I thought you already had?" -   
  
  
  
Ritsuko's eyes rolled while Shinji and Asuka chose that moment to test the table's resistance (for what other reason would they purposely hit it with their foreheads?). Tsuka's eyes moved around while the other people in the room shrugged.  
  
  
  
Choosing to ignore Misato's sexual innuendo, the doctor finally replied the redhead's question. – "Probably, depending on how well today's test go."  
  
  
  
"Fine." – Asuka said, standing up along with Shinji – "I'll do it, nobody will say I'm not professional."  
  
  
  
"The same here." – Shinji added. Both kids exchanged glares, With resemblance of the most sparkling moments of their combined sync training. They then looked back at Ritsuko.  
  
  
  
"Just explain to us..." – the boy began. – "Why must we remain chained?" – completed the girl.  
  
  
  
"Your friend's idea is not stripped of merit, it adds an interesting variable into the equation, we'll take the chance and explore it." – the children nodded, not really convinced. – "Now go get changed into you plugsuits."  
  
  
  
Misato watched Asuka leave the room, with Shinji in tow, Tsuka close behind – "Interesting variable, uh? If I didn't know you, I'd think you said to let them chained just to watch the sparks fly..."  
  
  
  
"It sounds more like you, Misato." – replied the blond, not deviating her eyes from her clipboard. When she finally Look up, she noticed the smirk on her friend's face – "What?"  
  
  
  
"I'm just wondering... Isn't it a bit difficult to change clothes while being attached like that?"  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
The Children quickly discover the same problem as they entered the lockers room and got their suits. Tsuka quickly moved behind the curtains and started changing while Asuka and Shinji stood there, not feeling comfortable.  
  
  
  
"So, what now?" – the boy asked, trying to sound indifferent.  
  
  
  
"We act professionally, as we said we would." –The German redhead replied. She looked at him – "But you better not keep glaring at my body or try to touch it. Have this in mind and you are safe, Third Child!"  
  
  
  
Shinji chuckled. – "Fine, Second! May I suggest we get changed in turns and the one waiting keep his chained hand loose so the other can at least try to use hers?"  
  
  
  
"Very well, I go first." – Shinji just chuckled again, looking away and let his left hand loose as he had suggested. Sighing, Asuka started removing her school shirt but soon difficulties arose... – "Danmit!"  
  
  
  
"What is it, Asuka?" – Shinji turned his face to look at her and saw what her problem was, she had managed to get her left arm off her shirt but could not do the same with her right handcuffed one. He also immediately realized he would have the same problem when time comes. – "Great..."  
  
  
  
A hiss announced that Tsuka was done changing. She walked from behind the curtains to check how her "sister" and boyfriend were doing. – "Hey, guys, what's the matter... oh, I see it..."  
  
  
  
Asuka, whose chest was covered only with a white bra (one sight Shinji was desperately trying to ignore...), groaned in frustration. – "This is ridiculous! There's no degree or training that prepares you for that!"  
  
  
  
Shinji sighed. – "We'll have to cut our shirts or rip them off, that's the only way."  
  
  
  
"Ok, just hold there a minute..." – Tsuka walked out the lockers room and soon returned with a pair of scissors. With precise cuts she helped the couple get rid of their shirts. – "A problem remains, though..."  
  
  
  
"What problem?" - asked Shinji. Asuka, who was taking her skirt off, stopped and looked at her "sister".  
  
  
  
"You see, you two won't get your plug-suits on above the belt area with those handcuffs on your hands..."  
  
  
  
Shinji and Asuka looked at each other. – "Greeeeeat..." – they said it at the same time...it looks like verbally, the first and second child are syncing.  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
Fortunately for the Children, the head of Project E had a solution in hand, as simple as embarrassing...  
  
  
  
"What?! Not only I have to do this test with Ikari in tow, now you want us to go into that plug clad in underwear?!" – Asuka whined. The Children were by the chamber leading to the test site, Tsuka wearing her regular red plug-suit while her "sister" and Shinji had only their plain underwear on. Dr. Akagi, her hands in the pockets of her lab coat, sighed.  
  
  
  
"It's either that or going in there naked, Asuka. Which one you prefer?"  
  
  
  
The chained couple paled while Tsuka giggled. – "N-Nooo, underwear will do, right Asuka??" – Shinji asked the redhead, in a pleading tone. – "Y-Yeah, sure, no problem at all!" – she replied.  
  
  
  
"Good. Now wait here until the plugs are ready for you." – with that said the blond scientist walked out and went to the test control room. Misato, Maya and a couple of other technicians were already there.  
  
  
  
"Are they on each others throats already?" – asked the major with a smile.  
  
  
  
Ritsuko chuckled. – "Their resistance was expected, the handcuffs and the outfit problem just made it more obvious."  
  
  
  
"Do you think this can actually be good for them, sempai?" – asked Maya from nearby computer terminal.  
  
  
  
"Shock treatments like this can operate wonders... or be a complete disaster... We must wait and see."  
  
  
  
"Not really reassuring, Ritsuko." – pointed the purple haired woman.  
  
  
  
"Well, we'll find out soon. Are the test plugs ready, Maya?  
  
  
  
"Yes, sempai." – replied the young technician, looking at her console.  
  
  
  
"Very well."- Touching a button on her own console, Dr. Akagi opened a channel to the unwilling lab rats below. – "Ok, children, you can now get into the test plugs."  
  
  
  
The crew in the control room watched as the door to the test site opened and the Children entered. Tsuka got to her plug and reached for the hatch but before climbing inside she looked back at her companions.  
  
  
  
"Now, you two, don't do anything in there I wouldn't." – she said with a wink.  
  
  
  
"And what would that be, sister-dear?" – replied Asuka with irony in her voice while Shinji blushed a little.  
  
  
  
Laughing, Tsuka disappeared inside her plug and the hatch closed. With a sigh, the other two Children reached for they're own and got inside, the hatch closing behind them.  
  
  
  
"Ok, Asuka, you get the seat. Shinji, you stay at her side, make yourself as comfortable as possible. I know this situation is quite demanding but you two must keep your focus on the test, understood?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, ma'am." – the two Children replied.  
  
  
  
"Good. We'll start soon, just relax now."  
  
  
  
Asuka sighed. Extending her arms, she reached for the butterfly controls and grabbed them, her right hand dragging Shinji's left with her. Glancing at the boy, she saw him keeping his eyes on some point away from her.  
  
  
  
"What are you looking at?"   
  
  
  
"I'm just trying not to look at you, Asuka." – he replied, without turning his head.  
  
  
  
She frowned, not liking his answer (but of course!-Editor). – "Are you saying I'm not worth looking at?"  
  
  
  
This time Shinji looked at her in the eyes. – "On the contrary," – he answered with a smile. – "... you are." – he turned his head away from her again before continuing. – "But you said me not to glare at you so that's what I'm doing."  
  
  
  
Before Asuka could reply, the plug started being filled with LCL. In seconds they were submerged in it and the voice of Dr.Akagi made itself present again by flooding the side speakers.  
  
  
  
"It's time, kids. Concentrate on your synchronization, now. We have a lot to do."  
  
  
  
"Yes, ma'am." – the three replied.  
  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
  
"So, how are they doing?" – asked Misato, after all initial procedures were complete.  
  
  
  
"Tsuka's sync ratio is at 70.5% and raising slowly, it's already three points above her last mark." – replied Maya.  
  
  
  
"This is not bad at all." – Ritsuko commented. – "What about Shinji and Asuka?"  
  
  
  
"Their joint sync ratio is at 67.7% and raising..."  
  
  
  
"Well, it seems to be working fine, after all." – Misato sighed in relief.  
  
  
  
"Yes... but we better not celebrate prematurely, we have a couple of hours until all tests are complete."  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
A few hours later...  
  
  
  
"Very well, Children, we are done with the tests." – the voice of Dr. Akagi came from the speakers. – "You can go take a shower then come back for the debriefing."  
  
  
  
The Children sighed in relief as they left the test plugs. It had been indeed a very long battery of tests and they were exhausted, especially Shinji and Asuka. Dripping LCL, they walked into the lockers room and towards the showers. Tsuka didn't waste time and discharged her plug-underwear then walked into one of the boxes, hitting the shower open, longing to get rid of the bloody smelling liquid. Asuka hesitated for a second then reached the front of her now ruined bra and snapped it out, sighing heavily. Shinji gulped and looked away, as much as he could.  
  
  
  
"Uh, same rules as before?" – he asked timidly.  
  
  
  
"Yeah..." – was Asuka's tired response.  
  
  
  
The two kids removed the rest of their underwear and each went to a shower stall. Keeping their backs to each other, they opened the shower and did their best to get clean while trying to avoid rubbing on each other, not an easy task in the restricted space while Tsuka looked at them and smiled. The elder girl decided not to tease them at this time, then finished showering and left. She was almost finished dressing when the couple entered. They quickly dried off and started dressing, soon realizing they would have to wear the same shirts that were…sliced. With Tsuka's help, they made their best to keep them in place with quick seams and clips then all of them left to the debriefing room.  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
"Congratulations, all of you." – Dr. Akagi and Misato were smiling broadly. – "Tsuka has the individual top mark right now." – both women looked towards the smiling girl, nodding their approval. – "Shinji and Asuka beat the mark reached during the battle against the angel in more than twelve points. Given the current circumstances, it's excellent."  
  
  
  
"Of course, I was there, after all!" – Asuka declared, trying to show some enthusiasm.  
  
  
  
"That's great." – Shinji said, also trying to look cheerful. – "So... now can we deal with these handcuffs?  
  
  
  
Misato and Ritsuko exchanged a quick glance, not unnoticed to the Children, and looked back at them.  
  
  
  
"Actually..." – Misato spoke slowly. – "...we can't."  
  
  
  
Shinji and Asuka glared at her then at Ritsuko. Tsuka just raised an eyebrow.  
  
  
  
"As I said, you performed very well..." – the scientist said. – "...and we want to know how much influence your current situation had on it. That demands you two to remain like this for some more time."  
  
  
  
The chained couple exchanged a glance even quicker than their superiors and looked back at them.  
  
  
  
"Fine." The redhead allowed her acceptance slowly creep out her teeth, "How much more time?" She added, an splinter of ice between each word.   
  
  
  
The two older women once again looked at each other, with surprise on their faces.  
  
  
  
"Are you ok with this?" – asked Misato. – "No complaints?"  
  
  
  
"Misato, I'm simply too tired to argue, or rave, or massacre," After an short pause, "No promise tomrrow through."  
  
  
  
"Yes, you took your time with these tests." – complemented Shinji.  
  
  
  
"Well, then, towards your question, you must complete a twenty-four hours period, after what you will be set free and perform a new battery of tests." – the two Children groaned at that last bit but said nothing.  
  
  
  
"So they must remain chained until after school tomorrow."- Tsuka stated.  
  
  
  
"Exactly."  
  
  
  
"So, if this is settled, we can send them home, right, Ritsuko?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, they can be dismissed now."  
  
  
  
"Are you staying, Misato?" – Shinji asked as they stood up to leave.  
  
  
  
"I have to," – the major replied in disgust. – "there's some paper work to deal with, you guys don't need to wait for me."  
  
  
  
The Children nodded and left. About thirty minutes later they were walking on the streets of Tokyo-3. Tsuka looked at Shinji and took his free hand, smiling.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Asuka, take his hand as well."  
  
  
  
Asuka looked at her, frowning. – "Why this, now?"  
  
  
  
"Doing this will hide the handcuffs thus preventing people to look at you two as they are doing right now." – explained the "older" redhead. – "Besides, it's cute, Shinji and his two girlfriends."  
  
  
  
"I'm not his girlfriend..." – Asuka replied between her teeth. But seeing people were indeed looking at them suspiciously, she ended up taking his hand as well.  
  
  
  
"Tell us, Tsuka." – the girl looked at Shinji. – "How did you manage this situation? I mean..."  
  
  
  
"I understood." – the girl replied. – "Actually, this never happened to us."  
  
  
  
"It didn't?" – Asuka seemed surprised. – "What would cause this divergence? I mean, Hikari doing something that twisted..."  
  
  
  
Tsuka looked down and a shadow seemed to cover her face.   
  
  
  
"I guess she and Toji simply didn't have the chance, like they did now..."  
  
  
  
The way she said that made the other two stop in their tracks.  
  
  
  
"What you mean? – asked a pale Asuka. – "You don't mean they..." – Shinji was equally white.  
  
  
  
"No, no!" – Tsuka raised a hand. – "It's not like that!" – she closed her eyes and sighed.- "Things were... different. Please, don't ask me for details. I didn't give it a damn at the time but now... it's painful."  
  
  
  
Shinji and Asuka looked at each other (they were getting good at that...). While Tsuka had told them many things it was clear she had omitted the darkest bits... and this seemed to be one of them...  
  
  
  
"Ok..." – Asuka said as they resumed walking. Then trying to get her "sister" up again. – "But once things are different here, we can take revenge on them, right?"  
  
  
  
Tsuka forced a smile – "Of course, Asuka."  
  
  
  
"Uhmmm..." – both headheads looked at Shinji who had an unusual smirk on his face.  
  
  
  
"What's it, Third Child?  
  
  
  
"I just remembered something about our first meeting..."  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
The Children arrived at their home, they were greeted by Pen-Pen who had this "What the…" look upon seeing Shinji and Asuka handcuffed. Tsuka quickly went to the bedroom to get changed. Shinji and Asuka, however, after some discussion and yet another embarrassing visit to the bathroom, decided they didn't want to ruin more pieces of wardrobe just now. Shinji went to the kitchen to start fixing dinner, dragging Asuka with him. She wanted to take a nap before dinner but given the circumstances she had little say on the matter, the German beauty even helped him around to get it done faster. During dinner, none of the Children were very talkative, the chained couple thinking about their forced closeness, Tsuka wondering about the differences between the current events and what she remembered. Some time later, after having saved some food for Misato, they gathered to discuss the sleeping arrangements.  
  
  
  
"It's simple, in fact." – Tsuka stated. – "I'll take Shinji's room for tonight while you two get the bigger one."  
  
  
  
"What, you don't want to join us?" – Asuka commented with just a bit of sarcasm.  
  
  
  
Tsuka grinned. – "I'll show up if I feel lonely…"  
  
  
  
"Oh, joy…" – Shinji thought. With Asuka in tow, he went to his room to retrieve his pajamas and blankets, Tsuka soon arrived with her own stuff.  
  
  
  
"Enjoy the night, you two." – she said with a wink after giving her boyfriend a goodnight kiss on the lips.  
  
  
  
"I don't know why she insists in thinking I'd want to do something with a baka like you."- Asuka muttered as they walked into their bedroom and closed the door.  
  
  
  
"She's just teasing you, Asuka, don't take her seriously." – the boy replied.  
  
  
  
"Right, right…"  
  
  
  
Applying the same rules as before, they got changed into their pajamas, Asuka found a night-gown that tied on her shoulders so she had no problems with it. Shinji, not wanting to spoil a shirt, decided to sleep only with his shorts on. Asuka frowned a bit but said nothing. They got to their futons and pulled the blankets over them.  
  
  
  
"Remember to keep your hands off me, Third Child. And no hentai fantasies about me or my sister!"  
  
  
  
"I'd never thought about that, Asuka." – replied the boy coyly. Asuka raised an eyebrow.  
  
  
  
"You don't know what you're missing…" – she muttered quietly. But Shinji actually caught it.  
  
  
  
"What does she mean?" – he thought.  
  
  
  
Soon, they were both sleeping.  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
*cue to baka-eerrr Dreamscape*  
  
  
  
[Marco, this was not in the plans]-Strife Lord   
  
  
  
Shinji was back to the test plug at NERV HQ. The First child was not chained anymore and actually had his plug-suit on. But it was of little comfort as he was now sharing the restricted space with not one but two redheads. He had the seat, with a smiling Asuka on his left and an upset one on his right. He gulped nervously.  
  
  
  
"Ok, kids, we are about to start the tests, just relax in there." – came the voice of Dr.Akagi.  
  
  
  
"Take your time, Doctor." – said Tsuka, all smiles towards Shinji. He gulped again while Asuka said nothing, just staring away of them.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, all lights went black to be replaced a few seconds ago by the red emergency ones.  
  
  
  
"What happened??" – asked a tense Shinji.  
  
  
  
"Nothing serious, guys." – came Misato's voice. – "There was a system failure, the test must be suspended."  
  
  
  
"So, we can leave?" – asked Asuka.  
  
  
  
"Sorry but we can't get the test-plug open as well, you'll have to wait in there for some time, maybe a few hours…" – Maya replied.  
  
  
  
"Few hours?! And what are we supposed to do to pass the time ?!"  
  
  
  
"I'm sure you can think of something…" – Misato's voice said, full of malice. – "See you later, guys."  
  
  
  
"Misato! Wait!" – Shinji called out but the communication was cut.  
  
  
  
"Well, well, my baka Shinji…" – Tsuka spoke sensually as her fingers worked fast on him. Shinji paled as he looked at her predatory face. – "It seems you have nowhere to run this time…" – she bent towards him.  
  
  
  
"T-Tsuka, this is not a good idea, or good time..." – the boy was sweating hard but no one could say that since they were immersed on LCL. – "They could get us out at any time… and Asuka is here as well and…" – he looked at redhead at his right and paled even more, Asuka had the same look of rapture on her face and was too bending towards him.  
  
  
  
"Asuka?!"  
  
  
  
"What's the matter, Shinji?" – both redheads said at the same time, at the same tone. Shinji's eyes went wide open. He looked from one Asuka to another, panic (and some other things) growing bigger and bigger…  
  
  
  
"Why are you two acting like this?!"  
  
  
  
"Why not, Shinji?" – both girls spoke, smiling widely. – "We are the same and one person." – they bent towards him even more. – "And… we… want… you…"  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
Shinji woke up with a startle, feeling something pressing on his chest. – "A dream… it was just a dream…" – he thought. – "Boy, so much for no hentai fantasies…" – The boy opened his eyes and was rewarded with the sight of Asuka on top of him. He tensed immediately but made no move, not wanting to wake her up (and probably be beaten for "taking advantage on her"...). – "She must have rolled over on her sleep..." – the boy thought, looking at her now peaceful face. – "Who would think she can be so fiery?" – Shinji considered his options. Wake her up now or wait for the sunrise? After some consideration, he decided that it would be better to face her attacks after some sleep. As if agreeing with him, Asuka moved, muttering unintelligible words and making herself more comfortable on him like a kitten with fresh laundry, which Shinji blush under the body contact. – "No more hentai fantasies, no more hentai fantasies, no more hentai fantasies..."- he chanted in silence. To his surprise, the boy noticed that her chained hand was now holding firmly his. Looking again at her face, he smiled. Using his free hand, he did his best to cover both of them with the scattered blankets. With a final sigh, he closed his eyes and let sleep take over him again, the next day would probably be hard, in one way or another...  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
Angel attack-This scene, due to my workload and grand scale plans for it (vs. Angel of light), is currently on the backburner until I finish with my mid-terms.   
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
Summer nights in Tokyo-3 are beautiful, as far as beauty can go in a city designed for war. The air is moderately cool (as with the climate change due 2rd impact), lights emitted from a thousand hours illuminate the sky, even the industrial tang generated by the massive generators that kept the city powered and its defenses up, smelled pleasantly this evening.   
  
  
  
After walking eight hours on its streets, the one who created the personality of Shosuro Furuyari welcome the sight of his modest home. A duplex, really, shared with a man who likely worked as a Yakuza. Furuyari never really cared. He was in his late 50s, on the verge of retirement with one-foot limp, and since he was no more than a humble civil servant, it was not his job to fight organized crime. So what if he receives a few friendly smiles or handshakes that comes with a gift or two? And if that hand felt a little odd from a person with a missing joint or two on the right little finger, Furuyari was careful notice. In Japanese society, with it is stressed belief of respectful courtesy, what you do not know for certain, you do not know at all.  
  
  
  
A small garden ran along the front of the duplex, and as Mr. Furuyari open the gate, a young girl in her mid-teens opened the door of the house. She had dark brown hair and strikingly beautiful black eyes, a flawless skin, with a quiet and serene complexion of a traditionally ideal Japanese girl. She wore a beautiful one-piece greenish-yellow summer dress, with a golden ribbon fluttering around her neck by the cool summer breeze. As her eyes met his, the girl bowed, with her skirt flittering along.   
  
  
  
"Reika." The older man mouthed her name, after a long pause, "How are you, dear niece?"  
  
"As well as I can be, dear uncle, it must be a long day for you. Come, I have made your favorite dinner." She quietly sang in reply. Without another word, the two entered the house and Furuyari closed the door behind him.   
  
  
  
"Rieka," the old guard asked his "niece", "have your Report card came in?"  
  
  
  
"Ah, yes," the girl fished out a sheet of paper and handed to him then went off working on cooking the salmon dinner. Ignoring the glowering description by her sensei, he went down to the last page, a blank note one designed for parents or guardians to write any notice back to the assorted teachers. A small Haiku is scribbled on the bottom.   
  
  
  
The drunkard met his end,   
  
His drinking friends,   
  
All vanished without a trace.   
  
  
  
Carefully closed the note and placed it within his uniform, Shosuro Furuyari stood up: "Mishma," addressing her with her first name to signify he receives the message, " It has been a long and hot day, let me take a shower first before dinner."   
  
  
  
"Hai." She answered without turning around, poking the salmon with a chopstick.   
  
  
  
As the civil patrol guard closed the panel that separates the bathroom, he reaches forward for the switch that turns on the hot water, but then paused as he stared his own image in the mirror. Within seconds, the doddering uncle with tired dull eyes of a person who lived through the second Impact, to the sharp ones that belong to man whose sole motive in life is to prevent the third one.   
  
  
  
Without seconds, he discarded the contact lenses that kept his eyes brown, revealing a pair of memorizing blue ones. He then reached out and removed the cosmetically applied sagging bag of flesh under his eyes, and the fake wrinkles on his forehead. Discarding his uniform, he removed the bag he wore in front of his chest as disguised mid-age belly fat, revealing highly toned muscle from a decade of training. He then turned around and open a cabinet by the shower, inside it had a .45 Glock, two spare clips of ammo, a knife with an ivory-handle, and a trench coat, sneakers with matching black jeans. After a quick change of costume, the new person washed his hair, then applied some gel to his hair to get a retro-look of one of those newer generation rebels. Shinji Ikari is reborn, again as a bad ass college kid from hell. Staring into the mirror, Shinji/Simon/Gerald wondered what would his current, younger version look like if he also wore the identical outfit, or rather, what would Misato or Asuka think if they see the current "him" wearing something like that. Now there is something interesting to plan…  
  
  
  
With a chuckle, Shinji Ikari (the senior?) banished the fun thoughts, the message has been clear, Kaji has gathering the survivors together with new weapons, and NERV/SEELE believe they have thwarted the "unknown terrorists" for good.   
  
  
  
"It is time to get to work." Shinji mouthed out to his mirror image as he pulled out a pair of blood-red sunglasses across his eyes.  
  
  
  
t.b.c 


	21. Chained, II

This scene is the missing battle between Asuka and the younger Shinji with the Angel of lights.

Usual disclaimers of ownership and lack of, et all.

This starts from last part of Chapter 15.

Looking for pre-readers, as Marcos and I both are not native speakers. My English is learned while speaking with NYC kids on the streets and reading novels, he is Brazilian.

Katsuragi Residence

2022 Hours

The Children arrived at their home, they were greeted by Pen-Pen who had this "What the..." look upon seeing Shinji and Asuka handcuffed. Tsuka quickly went to the bedroom to get changed. Shinji and Asuka, however, after some discussion and yet another embarrassing visit to the bathroom, decided they didn't want to ruin more pieces of wardrobe just now. Shinji went to the kitchen to start fixing dinner, dragging Asuka with him. She wanted to take a nap before dinner but given the circumstances she had little say on the matter, the German beauty even helped him around to get it done faster. During dinner, none of the Children were very talkative, the chained couple thinking about their forced closeness, Tsuka wondering about the differences between the current events and what she remembered. Some time later, after having saved some food for Misato, they gathered to discuss the sleeping arrangements.

"It's simple, in fact." – Tsuka stated. – "I'll take Shinji's room for tonight while you two get the bigger one."

"What, you don't want to join us?" – Asuka commented with just a bit of sarcasm.

Tsuka grinned. – "I'll show up if I feel lonely..."

"Oh, joy..." – Shinji thought. With Asuka in tow, he went to his room to retrieve his pajamas and blankets, Tsuka soon arrived with her own stuff.

"Enjoy the night, you two." – she said with a wink after giving her boyfriend a goodnight kiss on the lips.

"I don't know why she insists in thinking I'd want to do something with a baka like you."- Asuka muttered as they walked into their bedroom and closed the door.

"She's just teasing you, Asuka, don't take her seriously." – the boy replied.

"Right, right..."

Applying the same rules as before, they got changed into their pajamas, Asuka found a night-gown that tied on her shoulders so she had no problems with it. Shinji, not wanting to spoil a shirt, decided to sleep only with his shorts on. Asuka frowned a bit but said nothing. They got to their futons and pulled the blankets over them.

"Remember to keep your hands off me, Third Child. And no hentai fantasies about me or my sister!"

"I'd never thought about that, Asuka." – replied the boy coyly. Asuka raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know what you're missing..." – she muttered quietly. But Shinji actually caught it.

"What does she mean?" – he thought.

Soon, they were both sleeping.

cue to baka-eerrr Dreamscape

[Marcos, this was not in the plans] - Strife Lord

Shinji was back to the test plug at NERV HQ. The First child was not chained anymore and actually had his plug-suit on. But it was of little comfort as he was now sharing the restricted space with not one but two redheads. He had the seat, with a smiling Asuka on his left and an upset one on his right. He gulped nervously.

"Ok, kids, we are about to start the tests, just relaxs in there." – came the voice of Dr.Akagi.

"Take your time, Doctor." – said Tsuka, all smiles towards Shinji. He gulped again while Asuka said nothing, just staring away of them.

Suddenly, all lights went black to be replaced a few seconds ago by the red emergency ones.

"What happened??" – asked a tense Shinji.

"Nothing serious, guys." – came Misato's voice. – "There was a system failure, the test must be suspended."

"So, we can leave?" – asked Asuka.

"Sorry but we can't get the test-plug open as well, you'll have to wait in there for some time, maybe a few hours..." – Maya replied.

"Few hours?! And what are we supposed to do to pass the time ?!"

"I'm sure you can think of something..." – Misato's voice said, full of malice. – "See you later, guys."

"Misato! Wait!" – Shinji called out but the communication was cut.

"Well, well, my baka Shinji..." – Tsuka spoke sensually as her fingers worked fast on him. Shinji paled as he looked at her predatory face. – "It seems you have nowhere to run this time..." – she bent towards him.

"T-Tsuka, this is not a good idea, or good time..." – the boy was sweating hard but no one could say that since they were immersed on LCL. – "They could get us out at any time... and Asuka is here as well and..." – he looked at redhead at his right and paled even more, Asuka had the same look of rapture on her face and was too bending towards him.

"Asuka?!"

"What's the matter, Shinji?" – both redheads said at the same time, at the same tone. Shinji's eyes went wide open. He looked from one Asuka to another, panic (and some other things) growing bigger and bigger...

"Why are you two acting like this?!"

"Why not, Shinji?" – both girls spoke, smiling widely. – "We are the same and one person." – they bent towards him even more. – "And... we... want... you..."

Shinji woke up with a startle, feeling something pressing on his chest. – "A dream... it was just a dream..." – he thought. – "Boy, so much for no hentai fantasies..." – The boy opened his eyes and was rewarded with the sight of Asuka on top of him. He tensed immediately but made no move, not wanting to wake her up (and probably be beaten for "taking advantage on her"...). – "She must have rolled over on her sleep..." – the boy thought, looking at her now peaceful face. – "Who would think she can be so fiery?" – Shinji considered his options. Wake her up now or wait for the sunrise? After some consideration, he decided that it would be better to face her attacks after some sleep. As if agreeing with him, Asuka moved, muttering unintelligible words and making herself more comfortable _on him_ like a kitten with fresh laundry, which Shinji blush under the body contact. – "No more hentai fantasies, no more hentai fantasies, no more hentai fantasies..."- he chanted in silence. To his surprise, the boy noticed that her chained hand was now holding firmly his. Looking again at her face, he smiled. Using his free hand, he did his best to cover both of them with the scattered blankets. With a final sigh, he closed his eyes and let sleep take over him again, the next day would probably be hard, in one way or another...

But alas, Fate decreed otherwise.

Before Shinji could fade into his dreams again, his cell phone rang. Asuka woke up, cursing furiously: "Baka! Turn off your damn phone!!!" Shinji, on the other hand, simply rolled around to search for the phone. Since both of them were chained together, that action dragged Asuka to a sharp left.

But since it was previously proven the said redhead was far more vicious than the boy, an equal, wait, a far stronger action was elicited from Asuka. The resulting was, well, to put in layman terms, sent the cell phone flying into the hallway and had Shinji landing on Asuka after a series of rolls and struggles.

...with his left hand in the forbidden area.

For a long time, both paused, each too stunned about what had just happened.

Then both of them heard a voice from the hallway.

"Hello? Hi Misato, um, no, this is Tsuka, oh, Shinji? He is..." the next second Tsuka peeked her head into the room, and well, saw the whole show and joined the couple into a moment of mock silence.

The other person on the receive spoke a little bit more loudly, Tsuka quickly recovered, grinned evilly, and added, "Shinji is on top of Asuka."

And thus all hell broke loose.

Again.

NERV HQ

Launch Bay Alpha, pilot briefing Room

0200

"So, why are you here?" the younger Langley asked with a sneer as she saw Kensuke fill himself into to the room.

"I have no clue, really. The EVA I am suppose to pilot is missing an arm and a leg." The war-loving otaku answered while trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.

"Yeah," Tsuka snickered, "I saw your Sync Ratio last time. If they really need you to pilot an EVA, that means we all are dead meat."

"Speak of dead meat, why are you so tired?" Shinji added suspiciously, "You certainly ought to have more sleep than we did."

"Believe me," Kensuke yawned again, much loudly this time, "I tried, and I certainly tried."

"Tried?" Asuka asked incredulously, "You look like you just took a ride with Misato."

Kensuke opened his mouth, and then snapped it shut as the bad driver in question and Dr.Akagi filled in with two lesser NERV officers. As she went up to the podium, the woman pressed a button and a hidden projector sprang to life, showing a being that appeared to be made of pure light.

"This is it," Misato struck the surveillance photos with her laser-pen, "At 2100, an Angel appeared in the high orbit, as nearly we can determine, it is made of pure light, but it has not taken any hostile action against us."

"So here is our plan, we intend to send up the EVAs to bring the fight to IT. To accomplish that your Evas are being outfitted with special add-ons which will allow them to operate in space." Misato paused for a moment then continued. "In light of you two lovebirds' improvement together," the major dared to crack a smile as Asuka shot back a pair of deadly glares while Shinji went to his usual embarrassed self, "You two will take EVA-01 together, Tsuka will take Eva-02..."

"No." Tsuka replied quietly but firmly.

"Excuse me?" the tall Major exchanged a look with Dr. Akagi, not sure if she heard it correctly, "Not going? A Langley doesn't want to fight?"

"You heard me. I am NOT going." Tsuka answered again, more loudly.

Speechless at this unprecedented development, Misato stammered a reply, "Why?"

"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO!" The redhead screamed, as images of her previous battle with the said being flooded into her mind. The images of her mother dying, the images of her attempted suicide...the bloodstained bathtub... _I hate dolls..._In a second, Tsuka became Asuka again, facing the dreadful monster she could not defeat...who knew everything about her...defiled her memory, her mind. _I will never go through that, _she vowed as images of the doll crumpled in front of her...again and again.

Everyone in the room was stunned. In the last few months, they saw this strange addition to their family laugh, they saw her cry, and then watched her destroy an EVA with the same ferocity as Asuka, but now they saw her break down in front of everyone without a second thought. Before anyone could react, Tsuka jumped up and dashed for the door. When one of the NERV Section-2 agents tried to stop her, she knocked the man down with one hit and fled.

"Hey!" someone screamed out behind her. Tsuka did not care. She had to get out. With images of her mother and the doll together barraging her mind, the young girl ran even faster. _No, No, NO!!! GET OUT OF MY HEAD. THIS IS NOT ME. I WILL NOT LOSE AGAIN. _

_You know you will. You cannot stop the inevitable. The third impact will happen no matter what._

"Shut up, shut up, shut up...." Tsuka snarled as she slid her ID card into the reader slot. When the door opened, she vanished off into the Tokyo night.

Back in briefing room, Ritsuko stammered into a nearby Intercom. "Section-2? I need you to track down and bring back..."

"No." Misato interrupted, "I don't know what is going on. But don't chase her down. She is not going to fight anything in that condition and having those armed thugs bearing down on her might get bad."

Ritsuko paused as to digest this, then added, "cancel that, Section-2; please discreetly follow the fourth child and render aid if necessary, otherwise, please retain only passive observation."

"I will go after her." Shinji stammered as he tried to get up [he was STILL HANDCUFFED to Asuka].

"Not right now," Misato waved him to sit down, "All of you are on Combat Alert 1. I am sure Tsuka will be alright. Kensuke, you will take EVA-02 for this fight."

Asuka was so shocked at her twin's behavior she didn't even objected to Kensuke pilot her EVA. Or try to warn the stooges not to look at her when they changed.

Earth Obit

0400

"The sky looks so different from up here, doesn't it, Asuka?" Shinji asked his capsule-companion.

"Sure it does." the redhead replied absently.

"Still worried about Tsuka?" Even without looking at her, Shinji could see the redhead girl was worried. "_For once, she is not freaking out that someone just accused her of worrying about other people",_ he thought. Seeing the Second Child not responding, Shinji quieted down as well.

A second later, the Major's voice flowed over the Intercom, "Ok Children, you are five minutes away from the target. It is still remaining hovered over the Earth. Once you are in range, EVA-02 will use his auto-cannon to distract it, and EVA-01 goes in for the kill; also, Kensuke, your main plasma cannon only has one round to it, don't waste it unless you can be sure it will strike."

"Roger" the German girl and the Japanese boy replied together, a second later, Kensuke answered in a slightly more uncertain tone while rubbing his newly-gained black eye, courtesy of Devil II, "yes ma'am." 

Seeing Asuka remained unsure, Misato added, "Asuka? Section-2 is looking for your sister right now. Don't worry about her, she will be alright. When this is done, I will take all of you out to dinner somewhere."

"Yeah, thanks." _That's exactly what I am afraid of_. The "younger" Langley thought.

"Two min until target is in sight, each of you have 10 full minutes of power to take care of the target. After that, maneuver your vertical jets over the Japanese sea. We will send a drop team to pick you up, Misato out."

Two minutes later, the battle began.

Tokyo-03 District Park

0403

[note: this part is considered a rewrite of Chapter 15 Ending part. For future notices, Chapter 15 ended where it is denoted: Angel battle begins, this override the previous chapter, and yes, we changed the Angel matches for Storyline purposes. So some of the battles are removed or not in order]

Summer nights in Tokyo-3 were beautiful, as far as beauty could go in a city designed for war. The air was moderately cool (as with the climate change due Second Impact), lights emitted from a thousand hours illuminate the sky, even the industrial tang generated by the massive generators that kept the city powered and its defenses up, smelled pleasantly that evening.

Tsuka, of course, never noticed any of this as she stumbled around the streets and into the park. The terrified girl never stopped running until she ran out of breath and collapsed by one of the park benches. As her tears and energies depleted themselves, the poor girl was resorted to a slow pace sobbing. She didn't even notice until someone walked up behind her.

"GET AWAY YOU HENTAI!" Tsuka screamed, thinking it was some kind of rapist that stalked the park at night, delivered a left hook at the person behind her, only to have an arm streak out no where to grab her.

"Now, now, young lady, that's not the proper way to treat an old man like myself." Letting go the young girl's hand, the figure stepped out into the light of a nearby street lamp. Looking up, the German girl saw an old man dressed in the traditional green Japanese civil patrol uniform. The newcomer towered Tsuka by a foot and half, with jet-black hair that was marred with white, a set of dull brown eyes and a cheeky face and stomach that marked him to be late-middle-aged.

Slightly ashamed she just lashed out at someone random for no reason, the young girl bowed her head, "Gomen, I was in a rush."

"It must be some rush," with a tinkle sparking in his eyes, the man added, "I saw you running into the park as if there was an Angel chasing you."

While Tsuka's eyes remained stared at the ground between them, the patrolman added, "Is it because of a boy? Or something happened to your family?"

Tsuka shake her head and continued to sob, the old man added and pointed to a nearby bench "Do you want to sit down and talk about it?" 

That brought a small reaction from the girl; she brought her eyes up to his eye-level, as if daring the old patrolman to try something.

"Oh, for Christ's sake, I am an old man," sitting down on the far end of the bench with a grunt, "My family long perished in the Second Impact, and I am cursed with two different cancers. My interest in things unethical has faded away long time ago and soon I will join them. Sit down, TALK." The man voiced the last word quietly and firmly, delivering a command even the volatile redhead couldn't refuse.

Tsuka complied and sat on the end of the bench near her, "Ok...My name is Tsuka, I'm um, living here with my sister, and um, we were going to fight..."

Her voice was interrupted as two streaks of fire ignited the night sky, as two EVAs were attached to booster rockets. The roar of the engines drowned out what Tsuka was trying to say, but as the noise faded, she heard the patrolman murmur, "Oh Lord, as they fly across the sky and reach for the heavens, protect them, Amen...I am sorry," the man turned around to face her, "Those lads and lasses are risking their lives each day so we can live in this city in peace, the very least I can do is offer them a prayer for safe return."

Tsuka blinked, then smiled a little and answered quietly, "Thank you, Mr..."

"Jiinsh Kirai, of the Eastern Tokyo division, at your service." The man added, while proudly displaying his badge of office.

"I just had lots of memories of things... of bad things, I guess. Something triggered them all together and I couldn't handle it, I am so weak, so useless." Tsuka wailed quietly, not facing the old man.

"We all have our emotional scars like this. Hmm, when I lost my mother...my family during the Second Impact, I thought I was never going to live through it. But you know, after 15 years, it gets a little bit more bearable. Someday, you are going to stand up and laugh about it, and say, 'it was so silly back then'."

"Really? But what if I can't?" Tsuka replied.

"You can, believe me," Kirai added with a bit of steel in his voice, starring into the starry Tokyo sky. "Or you are not strong enough to live. I once was weak and indecisive, and it _cost me the world_;" the way he said it, Tsuka thought it meant literally, coughing once, Kirai finished, "I don't think a person like you is weak, Or is my vaunted character judgment wrong?"

"I am Soryu Asuka Langley! I am NOT weak!" Tsuka shouted in reply, her Langley fire roared in full blaze, eyes spitting blades at this stranger, "I am an EVA pilot, I am NOT WEAK!" She shouted again, lips full of conviction.

Much to his surprise, Kirai laughed, "Is that so? Good, good, well, it is a pleasure to meet you then, I am a big fan of what you do for the city, can I have your autograph?"

"Err...ok" The unexpected reaction and the double meaning knocked her off guard, and she meekly accepted a pen and a pad that seemed just to flow out the Patrolman's hand. When she finished signing her name with a flourish, Kirai said: "Go home, take a shower and get some sleep, young lady. Some girls can cry and look beautiful, but it looks absolutely horrible on you." When Tsuka blushed at this and tried to cover up her face with her hands, Kirai got up and began to walk away; almost as an afterthought, he turned around, bent down and whispered maliciously into her ears, "Oh, and grab your boyfriend and make him take you somewhere nice."

Without looking for Tsuka's reaction, Jiinish Kirai vanished off into the night, forever. And it was not until several years later, in a purely different accident and with a far different set of circumstances, Tsuka realized who "the old policeman" really was.

[I am well aware this is different than the original EVA battle. I actually skipped most Angel battles during my time watching EVA; I am not a fan of Mecha battles most of time and EVA was clearly bad in the department, Marcos pointed out the entire battle sequences to me after I put all this down on paper, so sorry to all those who may be surprised or offended watching EVAs going off in a space battle]

Earth Obit

0405

"Target in visual." Kensuke mouthed. Reaching with his left "hand", the otaku brought the Assault-class Cannon that was now nestled in the Eva-02's arms to motion, "unlocking side-car cannon ammo chains, plasma cannon on standby."

"Prog-Blade ready." Asuka added from a different channel.

"Moving 20 degrees above Eva-02" Shinji answered in as well.

"READY? GET SET AND GO!" the German redhead screamed, and the battle began.

With that, Kensuke squeezed the trigger to the cannon, sending waves of vermillion darts at the Light-Being. The volley slashed at the Angel...predictably, with little effect. Instead, the Angel, moving at incredible speed for its size, suddenly flew from more than 2 km distance to melee range in less than 3 seconds.

Before Kensuke had a chance to readjust his weapon or scream, the Angel's arms grappled with Kensuke's EVA, puncturing three holes on its shoulder, leg, and chest, and swang it around like a weight on a pendulum. At the apex of the flight, tossed the whole EVA like a broken doll...toward the Moon.

For a few seconds, Kensuke experienced the horror of free fall, his heart compressing as the EVA was taken by the force of motion. Then the light lunar gravity claimed him, and the EVA plowed into the earth, e, Moon, head first.

"KENSUKE!" Shinji shouted.

"My EVA!!" Asuka added on top of that.

"Ouuuuuchhhh...."

Bringing their mind together, the two children, no, the one EVA charged the Angel at full speed. With a deadly left swing, Shinji-Asuka brought a deadly blow into the Angel, cutting off one of its many arms. Wailing an inhuman scream, the Angel grappled with EVA-01, and then IT began...

In a Marcoian fashion, the Strife Lord cue to Dreamscape. Um, Nightmare-scape.

Asuka' Nightmare

Asuka found herself standing in the kitchen at her home in Germany. Standing in front the stove was her "onii-chan," the strange boy who her mother "adopted" several weeks ago. Dressed in sharp black with an apron around his wrist, the boy was making her favorite pancakes and sausages. Happily, the redhead angel glomped his left leg.

"Asuka," without looking back, the boy (really shouldn't call him a boy, as he is at least 10 years older than little Asuka) called out, "I told you not to glomp my legs when I am cooking; the kitchen is a dangerous place for a little girl."

"_Why I remember I have done this before" _the little girl thought, "_It doesn't matter," s_he thought, "_as long as onii-chan is here". _Smothering the nagging feeling, the little beauty climbed on to a nearby table and grabbed a treat from the cookie jar and answered: "Dangerous when mommy is around. Not dangerous when big brother is around." With the cookie in her mouth, she glomped the boy's leg again.

"Don't you have homework to do?" the tall stranger added as he went off to pinch a pie.

"Nope, all done" Asuka answered, then glomped his leg again. Then the door bell rang, and _he _walked off to answer it.

A few seconds later, as Asuka finished the cookie, she realized she had done it before, it happened once, ten years ago. Screaming in panic, the little girl dashed out the kitchen door only to hear gunfire.

It was too late, the next second Asuka found herself standing in front the door, with paramedics carrying a body bag into a nearby van. With little recourse, she screamed. She knew what was going to be happen, men in black suits would come and take her away after they searched the house.

"Oniii-chan!!" the little chibi wailed; what else could she have done? She failed again, she could not save him. She didn't realize the truth in time. Now there was nothing left but cry. But this time, something else happened.

"Asuka, is that you?" Wading through the mob, Shinji walked up to her and looked down. "Where are we? And how did you get so small?" It was then Asuka realized how much Shinji really did resemble her onii-chan.

With a leap, the little girl tackled glomped Shinji, bringing him to the ground and whispered to his ear, "Baka..."

And everything faded to black.

EVA cockpit.

0406

The German girl found herself in the EVA cockpit with Shinji again. Looking behind him, she found Shinji staring at the Angel that was now hovering over the main view screen. A second screen showed a group of frantic NERV techs trying to communicate with the EVA, and the third screen showed her own red EVA slowly standing up from the lunar crater it sank itself in. While the display to her left indicated only seconds had passed since that "joyful" flashback.

"Asuka, do you need help?" Kensuke's voice drifted over the speakers.

"Shinji?" Asuka asked, but found the boy remaining paralyzed by the Angel, judging the way his eyes were blinking. _The Angel must be putting up one hell of a show, _she thought "Oh Mein gott, wait a second stooge, this won't take long."

Asuka's method on how to wake up a stooge (TM):

Slap him (perform #1 up to 10 times if needed)

Wave your hands in front of his eyes

Kick him where it REALLY hurts (in a guy)

Much to her surprise, Shinji still remained frozen by whatever he was seeing. Well, at least he grunted once when she did #3. (Not to hard of course, Tsuka dear might complain if she returned him...broken) Seeing no other recourse, Asuka sighed.

_I guess it is going to take #4. _she thought, _lets give Shinji a show. _

Taking a deep gulp of LCL, Asuka grabbed Shinji's still handcuffed hand, and did what the entire school males and anime otakus wished she would have done to them;

She kissed Shinji.

Hard.

{Author's note; was going to write: She kicked Shinji, hard, but I wouldn't be able to think of a #3. Also, I was planning a lemon, and have Asuka REALLY give Shinji a SHOW, in both the LCL tube and dreamscape. But then I have to write another scene with Misato, Kensuke and et all seeing it afterwards, too messy and the jack-off jokes would fly off the wall)

(Note to Marcos: make the lemon happen)

(Note to Strife Lord: throwing the hot potato, uh?)

Shinji's Nightmare

_Where am I? _Shinji wondered. _What was I doing again? _For one reason or another, unable to remember no longer seemed so pressing as before. As the glare of white light faded from existence, Shinji found himself in the Hangar Bay of NERV, with two EVAs stood upright left and right to him. Like a tribunal of the old, in an office above the hangar door, stood Shinji's father, ready to hand down judgment upon his unworthy son. To complete the moment, the Hangar darkened except by a single beam of white light, descending from the ebony recess above and bracketed the Third Child as if he was on trial.

"Father..." Shinji called out to him, with one hand above his eyes to block the harsh light; begging his father for mercy and compassion.

"You are weak, Shinji." Gendo called out, clapping his hands together as if he wished to reduce his son to pulp, "Useless."

From his left, suddenly Misato showed up. The major had a beer can in her hand, and added, "You are a poor roommate."

A second light appeared, revealing Ritsuko in her lab coat with a clipboard, she didn't even bother facing Shinji, she simply added: "You are hopeless as an EVA pilot."

From above, Gendo threw down more verbal daggers, "You are nothing but a burden."

From his left and right, more and more lights appeared, surrounding the Third Child with faces of people he knew, and then soon it got so fast he could not track them all. Then all of them stopped, and a path opened between the mob; a single figure stood there. Shinji recognized her, he saw her in his dreams; beautiful, wish, compassionate and serene.

Mother...The one person who loved Shinji for who he was.

Then she frowned.

The lady known as Yui Ikari stared at his son, as if he was a bad data point that somehow messed up an equation she was working on.

"Mother..." Shinji croaked.

Without a word, Yui turned around and vanished. A second later, all the lights went out. And the voices began to laugh.

Shinji, predictably, began to scream. As the teasing of Shinji continued, the figures around him became of more transparent appearance, into ghastly stuff of raw nightmares. It did not take him very long to break.

{The author will promptly skip writing Shinji's psycho-analysis under such duress, we all seen it way too much in EoE and all)

It felt like eternity in the boy's mind, the screaming and teasing, and Shinji's throat went raw with all the screaming (and whining). Then all became silent as the ghosts faded away into murmurs. Standing up, Shinji saw...a goddess standing in the same shaft of light with him.

Ok, it was really Asuka. 

But we are otakus, and Shinji is Shinji. So there isn't much distinction there.

"Another self-hate session? Baka." Raising her hands above her, the redhead girl give a much suffered look, "why me? Let's go, Third Child. We are leaving." Grabbing Shinji's hand, before the Third Child could object, he was pulled forward with a lurch.

"You two are not going anywhere." Gendo's voice boomed from above.

"Oh yeah, what are you going to do about it?" the redhead shouted back. In a move that delivered complete contempt and disgust, Asuka did something what...she would have done when pissed off (besides delivering the usual murderous stare at everything around her).

She flipped the proverbial bird at Gendo... while delivering a French one at Shinji, a second later, Shinji's world exploded.

Earth Obit

0409

The Angel of Light was frustrated. It did not expect things to go this way; it certainly did not expect two children were thwarting it. No matter how hard it tried, each time it used its psionic powers to demoralize one of the children, the other entered the first's memory and ruined the images. Enraged, the Angel pulled one of its tentacles backward for a blow that would have crushed the entry plug.

Faster than even the Angel of light, the EVA's right arm streaked forward and grabbed it.

Within the cockpit, Asuka finally let go Shinji's mouth, "Shall we, Third Child?"

Shinji nodded, a small smile breaking, which was mirrored by Asuka in the most malicious way...

"Lets do it!" Both children screamed in unison.

Within seconds, the EVA brought its left arm online. Reaching into his mind, Shinji brought his years of accumulated fear into rage, and 01's arm burst in flame. The fire, supernatural in an area supposed devoid of oxygen, streaked up the Angel with an unnatural speed until it reached the monster's chest, then pushed the beast backward and exposed its core.

Asuka reached forward with the Prog-Blade, delivering three rapid slashes to the creature's core, and then buried the entire blade into it.

"And that is for my onii-chan!" With a roar, Asuka ordered the EVA to deliver a kick that sent the Angel tumbling through space. "Hit it! Stooge!"

From the lunar surface, the Fifth Child fired the Super-cannon. A jet of searing plasma roared from the cannon and struck the Angel. For a second, red and white mixed into a ball, then it exploded into an expanding sphere of light....until darkness reclaimed the sky and brought relief to tired eyes.

"We did it!... Guys?" Kensuke called out to the other pilot team, when he got no response "Shinji, are you there? Shinji? Control? Misato?"

With a slight annoyance, Asuka shut off the comlink and turned around to face the other occupant of the tube. _It will take at least 30 minutes for us to land, in 30 minutes, we can talk quite a bit...if we keep our words into one syllables. _

From the mischievous glint in Shinji's eye, the third child was thinking exactly the same thing.

{more LEMON!}

Tokyo-3, several hours later

After walking eight hours on its streets, the one who created the personality of Jiinsh Kirai welcome the sight of his modest home. A duplex, really, shared with a man who likely worked as a Yakuza. Kirai never really cared. He was in his late 50s, on the verge of retirement with one-foot limp, and since he was no more than a humble civil servant, it was not his job to fight organized crime. So what if he received a few friendly smiles or handshakes that comes with a gift or two? And if that hand felt a little odd from a person with a missing joint or two on the right little finger, Kirai was careful notice. In Japanese society, with it is stressed belief of respectful courtesy, what you do not know for certain, you do not know at all.

A small garden ran along the front of the duplex, and as Mr. Kirai opened the gate, a young girl in her mid-teens opened the door of the house. She had dark brown hair and strikingly beautiful black eyes, a flawless skin, with a quiet and serene complexion of a traditionally ideal Japanese girl. She wore a beautiful one-piece greenish-yellow summer dress, with a golden ribbon fluttering around her neck by the cool summer breeze. As her eyes met his, the girl bowed, with her skirt flittering along.

"Reika." The older man mouthed her name, after a long pause, "How are you, dear niece?"

"As well as I can be, dear uncle, it must be a long day for you. Come, I have made your favorite dinner." She quietly sang in reply. Without another word, the two entered the house and Furuyari closed the door behind him.

"Reika," the old guard asked his "niece", "have your report card came in?"

"Ah, yes," the girl fished out a sheet of paper and handed to him then went off working on cooking the salmon dinner. Ignoring the glowering description by her sensei, he went down to the last page, a blank note one designed for parents or guardians to write any notice back to the assorted teachers. A small Haiku was scribbled on the bottom.

The drunkard met his end,

His drinking friends,

All vanished without a trace.

Carefully he closed the note and placed it within his uniform, Jiinsh Kirai stood up: "Mishma," addressing her with her first name to signify he receives the message, "It has been a long and hot day, let me take a shower first before dinner."

"Hai." She answered without turning around, poking the salmon with a chopstick.

As the civil patrol guard closed the panel that separate the bathroom, he reached forward for the switch that turned on the hot water, but then paused as he stared his own image in the mirror. Within seconds, the doddering uncle with tired dull eyes of a person who lived through the Second Impact, to the sharp ones that belong to man whose sole motive in life was to prevent the Third one.

Within seconds, he discarded the contact lenses that kept his eyes brown, revealing a pair of memorizing blue ones. He then reached out and removed the cosmetically applied sagging bag of flesh under his eyes and the fake wrinkles on his forehead. Discarding his uniform, he removed the bag he wore in front of his chest as disguised mid-age belly fat, revealing highly toned muscles from a decade of training. He then turned around and opened a cabinet by the shower, inside it had a .45 Glock, two spare clips of ammo, a knife with an ivory-handle, and a retro-jacket, sneakers with matching black jeans. After a quick change of costume, the new person washed his hair, then applied some gel to his hair to get a retro-look of one of those newer generation rebels. Shinji Ikari was reborn, again as a bad ass college kid from hell. Staring into the mirror, Shinji/Simon/Gerald wondered what would his current, younger version look like if he also wore the identical outfit, or rather, what would Misato or Asuka think if they saw the current "him" wearing something like that. _Now there is something interesting to plan..._

With a chuckle, Shinji Ikari (the senior?) banished the fun thoughts, the message has been clear, Kaji has gathering the survivors together with new weapons, and NERV/SEELE believed they have thwarted the "unknown terrorists" for good.

"It is time to get to work." Shinji mouthed out to his mirror image as he pulled out a pair of blood-red sunglasses across his eyes.

T.B.C

Wow, that took a lot longer than I thought. But then, I have been busy going back to school and all.

Will write for Propz, Please please please pretty please!

{It will encourage Marcos to write the lemon too ï 


	22. Just a blank

File PAD[blank chapter], nothing Serious. Press Next and go on. 


	23. Music in my ears

Disclaimer: I will finish this story by Christmas, really...

In an act of absolutely randomness, I actually salvaged my old hard-drive with all my notes on this Fic. I took it as a sign from high I ought to finish writing this.

Well, that and the parents leaving town thus I am stuck in my dorm alone also prompt me to start writing again. Otherwise I am going to get rusty. It is senior year and I have no clue when I will be doing any kind of writing again.

Ok, really honestly, I am just DAMN BORED.

Without further delay….

Random clawing of a nearby wall 

Cough 

fed the dorm neko 

Save pillow from same said neko 

Seraph of Strife and Marcos Edson INC.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Good grief, I had to remember how to type Evangelion now 

Financial disclaimer: Gainax owns Eva, if I did make any money off this, they could have it. Tsuka is Asuka post EoE and arguably Ms. Fan Service of the show, and Shinji the older is the same. I just got into a habit to denote him as the older. He also wore a number of fake and strange names throughout shows from books I read as aliases. If any reader want give him a good alternative name, let me know. Oh yea, I only has about 10 in my bank account too...so don't sue.

**Chapter 16: Music in my ears**

In a Mansion overlook Tokyo-2, late Evening

_"All plots have to begin with a darken conference room"_, Shinji the older thought, "_Shouldn't it?" _He blinked and wondered as Kaji hand him a glass of red wine. Standing on the porch and overlooking the entire courtyard, Shinji's position gave him a commanding view over the motley crew he assembled after his base was incinerated by SEELE's machinations at the old Tokyo bay.

"Did you get a group rate to an anime Convention or something?" Shinji the older mumbled to the master spy as the two of them surveyed their "hired help." Around the yard, there were a dozen of men and women, each dressed in an outfit stranger than the rest.

Kaji smiled at Shinji's the older remark, "come now, you worked with some of them before. You can not argue they don't do good work."

"True," Shinji the older replied, "But after our recent failure, I would think you do well by raising the recruitment age," staring at one of the "Agents" standing by the buffet, "or at least the height requirement."

"It was the best I can do in a pitch. Plus, these people are recommended by _him." _Kaji countered, raising a hand to cut off an argument from the other man, with a distraction that would worked better with Misato than Shinji the older, Kaji pointed off to the left of them, "Is that Bird hitting on the girls?"

"Probably, that's Jing's pet Kir. Its lechery is almost legendary as yours. I have to admit, it is better at picking up women than you." As if to emphasis his point, the bird did something and all the girls that were in the swimming pool laughed.

"I resent that." Kaji answered with a look of wounded pride.

"Now stop distracting me." The older Ikari not quite that old replied, "Are you sure this crew will do?"

Kaji answered the molten glares with his trademark smirk, one that more suited for teasing Misato than a fellow operative much less boss, "**Trust me.** Now shouldn't we get this freak show on the road before..."

An explosion went off as the robot two "guests" were tinkering with burst in a shower of sparks and fire. The resulting explosion sent a third guest directly into the pool head first.

"Banpei!" The first girl shrieked as her beloved creation went off in a fiery explosion.

"Damn you Winlry!" The boy who landed in the pool cursed with his mouth full of water, as he floated up to the surface; neat trick for a person who has metal for arm and a leg.

"Opps." Was the reply, "too much…power?"

"...somebody gets hurt." Kaji finished with a wince.

"Very well." Shinji the older sighed. Picking up his glasses on the desk, he walked off the porch to speak with the assembled guests. As much as he hated his father, Shinji the older had to admit Gendo's Machiavellian outfit did have its uses. Especially the glasses.

Clapping his hands to get everyone's attention, Shinji the older politely waited for the water soaked guest to climb out the pool, then began, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is, well, unimportant. Some of you knows me already, some of you don't. What I am about to offer is both incredibly dangerous and financially, well, undesirable to say the very least; it will ask you to rely on my judgment and the judgment of those around you. Our survival chances will be minimum, to say the very best. If we fail, however, the events will surely lead to a catastrophic end of every being on this planet. If you succeed however, you are likely to remain as anonymous heroes the very most, and likely to be branded as a terrorist by every major Government on the planet."

Pausing a second to gather his breath, "If this does not sound like your particular brand of sake, well, enjoy tonight's dinner and have a safe trip home, if not, follow me."

Much to his surprise, everyone did.

Below is Marcoian to say the very least, as I have nothing to do with this - the Strife lord

Katsuragi residence

36 hours after the battle

From the balcony of Misato's apartment, Asuka and Tsuka overlooked the city in silence, as the sun slowly descended on the horizon. After spending one day at NERV following the angel's defeat, during what Dr. Akagi performed several tests to ensure both children were well both physically and mentally, Shinji and Asuka had been allowed to return home. Despite the nature of the attack, the blonde doctor was surprised not to find any serious illness, nothing some relaxation could not fix. – "If I was to recommned something, a night out would be in order..." – she said to Misato. Just one thing still puzzled her, and those who knew how the Second was like; upon return Asuka seemed to be treating Shinji in a much more civil way than before even after both children were freed of their forced acquaintance. For suggesting that Shinji had somehow "tamed the beast", Kensuke got his black eye renewed. Well, some things were still the same...

Back home, and taking advantage that Misato was still on NERV, Asuka went after her sister, determined to know what caused her to run away like that. Slightly ashamed, Tsuka told her in detail how her own battle against that angel went on and how her state was afterwards. Asuka was shocked. Not only her counterpart's experience had been much worse but to know that Shinji was not allowed to help her... the same (well, not really...) Shinji who was at her side and helped her, the same Shinji she had... Asuka blushed...

"I'm glad Shinji was with me..." – she said, still looking at the city. Tsuka looked at her for a moment before returning her gaze to the city as well.

"You surely is..." – she said with a mischievous grin. – "if you went to the point of sharing other fluids than LCL with him..."

Asuka's face went as red as her hair now. She _had_ to tell Tsuka what happened, it was not something she could conceal after all her harsh words regarding her sister's moves on the Third Child. Fate had, indeed, a strange sense of humor...

"You aren't... uh... upset, are you? – Asuka asks cautiously.

"Upset? Oh, nooooo..." – Tsuka replied with a strange gling on her eye. – "I'M RAVING MAD!" – and jumped on her sister...

"No! Hey! Stop that! No! Not there! It tickles! Ah, Ah, Ah!

After a minute or two of harmless struggle, both girls laid on the floor, looking on the sky, where the first stars were showing up.

"Silly, I'm not mad..." – Tsuka spoke. – "For months I've been worried of being stealing _your_ Shinji and cheating on _mine_..." – she turned her head to face Asuka. – "Things just worked out, I guess.".

"But you are not giving up of him." – Asuka stated.

"Want him all for yourself?" – replied Tsuka.

"I don't mind to share..."

"I recognize that line..."

"Of course, 'I' said it."

Both girls burst into laughter. Attracted by the "cat fight", Shinji peeked at the balcony.

"Asuka, Tsuka, are you all right?"

The redheads looked at him as if they were hungry... and he was dinner. Gulping audibly, the Third Child stepped back into the apartment. – "Dinner will be ready soon... yes... dinner..." – and made a dash back to the kitchen...

Shinji's Mansion

"The situation is a difficult one," Shinji the cool one explained to the assorted…people in front of him, " as you have learned from the e-mail I sent, SEELE, by it's extension spin-off organization, NERV, is literally planning a way for the humanity to 'unite" as one. The final solution called for the revival of the creature known as Lilith that is stored in the deepest section of the NERV HQ. Known as the Central Dogma, while the idea may not seem to be a bad one…it tend to lead to the extinguishment of the human race in the process."

"And we don't want that to happen, do we?" Kaji added in, which did nothing but earn a black glare from Shinji.

Tapping a laser point pen on the wall, Shinji continued, "If it truly comes down to it, we may have to storm the facility itself. I have a… contingency placed in the event we have to do this, but for obvious reasons, I prefer to use a neater type of operation". The memories of the military action before the Third Impact flooded in his mind. "_Will I have to order my men to invade the facility? Will Misato and the others stand against me?"_

"_No," _Shinji vowed in his mind, "_I will change history; I will curve a new history of mankind, one out the heart of destiny itself if needed!"_

"So here is the plan."

Katsuragi residence

"Going out?"

The three children, Misato and Pen-Pen were on the table, eating breakfast. Taking another sip of her matinal beer, the purple haired Major looked at Asuka.

"Yeah." – she said. – "I own you people a night out and even Ritsuko agrees it's a good idea, after the stress of the last angel fight and all..." – she glanced at Tsuka who avoided eye contatct, looking at her dish. None of them said a word.

"Uhmm, where are you planning to take us?" – asked Shinji. He didn't seem to be really thrilled. Then again, Shinji never did.

"There's this place I know, we can eat, listen to some music, dance... I heard they were putting a karaoke stage as well..." – Shinji winced, picturing two redheads dragging him up to the stage and making him perform some awful song. – "Hey, cheer up, Shinji! You too, Tsuka! It will be fun!" – Misato leant back on her chair, taking another sip. – "Why don't you call your friends to come along?"

"Can we?" – asked Tsuka, finally showing some excitement.

"Of course," – replied Misato. – "the more the merrier..."

"That's settled, then!" – exclaimed Asuka, clapping her hands. – "When are we going?"

"I was thinking about tomorrow night."

"Great! I'll call Hikari and Rei." – Asuka looked at Shinji. – "Don't make plans for this afternoon; Third, we have an appointment."

"Appointment? Which appointment? – asked the boy with a sense or dread. Tsuka giggled.

"Take a guess, honey..."

"Oh, no..." – Shinji paled, the worst thing after facing the girls collective PMS was...

"Yep!" – said Asuka. – "We are out shopping."

Shinji whined while Misato laughed. Both redheads raised and leant towards the boy.

"Now, now, Shinji, don't be like this." – whispered Asuka on his ear. – "We may just buy something special..."

"For your eyes only..." – completed Tsuka on the other. Shinji blushed. Looking at eachother, the girls giggled and left for their room.

Shinji watched as they walked away then sighed, closig his eyes.

"Hey, Shinjiii..." – Misato's voice brought him back to reality. – "Are you going to tell me what happened during that time we lost communication with your Eva?" – the major's voice was full of malice. Shinji blushed again.

"Uh... No, I don't think so…ma'am." – with that, Shinji quickly picked up the empty dishes and start washing, ignoring the grinning Major on the table. Misato then looked at her bird companion with a wink,

"You know, Pen-Pen, I think I have some money to collect..."

"Wark!"

"So let me get is straight," one of Shinji's "guests," a young (and short) caucasian male dressed in a red trench-coat with a black symbol written on the back, "We are supposed to waltz up this Super-Freighter thingy in the middle of the sea that we can't really get to."

"Right," Kaji confirmed.

"Protected by the 9th American Fleet which we can't destroy." The boy added.

"Um hmm, it would create too much problems." Kaji nodded.

"With an entire wing of Transit class Joint-Air Fighters in escort that we cant outrun."

"Yup."

"And sink the Freighter full of S2 Engines that are held in stasis."

"That sums it up pretty well," Shinji the older replied.

One of Shinji's other guests, a tomboyish beautiful young girl with a black vest and green hair, interceded, "can we go underwater and attack from below?"

"We can't," Shinji the older replied, "they had a squad of Reagan-seven Class Submarine going right below that fleet, anything size of a dolphin moving around in 10 miles radius and 5 miles deep will be detected without error."

"umm", the girl asked again while straightens her headband , "am I missing something here?"

Exchanging a grin, Shinji and Kaji replied maliciously, "not - at - all ."

Next day, at night...

Misato came out of her room adjusting one of her earrings; Shinji was already on the hall. Both wore casual clothes, they were not attending a big social event after all. – "Ah, you're there, Shinji. Are the girls not ready yet?"

"No, I guess they are just finishing..." – was the boy's reply.

"Hey, girls!" – Misato called. – "Time to go! Be fast or stay behind!"

"Coming!" – both redheads replied just as they left their room. Both wore black tops and jackets but while one wore black tight pants the other wore a black mini skirt.

"Hey, you two look great!" – Misato said looking at them. – "Don't you agree, Shinji?" – Shinji could only nod and the girls giggled. – "So, who is who?" – While usually the major would not have too much difficult to say which girl was Asuka and which was Tsuka (mostly based on the different ways each one would abuse on Shinji...) it was hard if both were all smiles towards the boy...

'Mini skirt' raised a hand and waved. – "Here, I'm Asuka."

"Okay... mini skirt, Asuka... pants, Tsuka... that's easy... Shall we go?

Smiling, each girl took one of the Third Child's hands and escorted him out of the apartment while Misato looked down at Pen-Pen. – "Well, you have the house. Take care of it." – Pen-Pen warked something that sounded like "Yes, ma'am!" and gave her a (mock) salute with a flipper. Misato laughed and left, closing the door behind her.

The ride to the place the purple haired major mentioned was uneventful... or as uneventful a ride with Misato Katsuragi could be, the kids were notably shaken upon arrival. Thanks to a previous arrangment their friends were already waiting nearby and all jumped two or three steps back as Misato's blue car stopped just in front ot them, wheels screaming. As the pilots stepped out, Rei addressed them with her usual cold fashion. – "I take Major Katsuragi's ways behind the wheel have not improved lately."

"You can say that..." – Asuka replied. Her sister and Shinji nodded in agreement.

If the major heard that, she ignored it. The others came closer and they exchanged some quick amenities (Kensuke kept a safe distance from Asuka of course) then Misato led the gang into the building, a karaoke-music bar called 'Clovers'. The crowd there didn't pass unnoticed the way the two redheads were hanging on Shinji.

"It seems your crazy plan really worked, after all... "- Toji whispered to Hikari. – "I didn't believe it when Kensuke told me earlier..."

"Yeah... but, do not bring that up tonight... or any other day for that matter..." – the freckled girl whispered back. – "Rei said Kensuke did...and the sequel was painful..."

While it was not late in the night, a lot people were already in place. Tables were distributed around an open area where people could dance, at one of its extremities stood a stage, right now occupied by a karaoke machine where a couple of teens exercise their talent (or lack of it...). On one of the sides, the bar. Through two sets of stairs at the sides of the stage, a second floor could be reached, several sliding doors indicated small rooms where people, usually vips and older/conservative individuals could have some more privacy. Waitresses clad in black maid attires walked around serving the costumers. One of them, a cute girl wearing glasses and a beaming smile led the group to an empty table and they seated down.

"Please, make yourselves at home. Would you like to drink something?"

"As if Misato would pass the chance..." – Tsuka whispered in Asuka's ear.

"A beer for me..." – spoke Misato, the teens all got soda except Hikari and Rei who asked juice. The drinks arrived and they really started relaxing, talking, laughing with other people at the ones making fools of themselves on the stage, teasing the stooges to be the next ones, in short enjoying what seemed to be a peaceful night so far...

Clover's

VIP Bar

Located on the third floor behind transparent glass with a commanding view of what was below, Shinji the older watched the commotion below. With a sigh, he turned around to watch a nearby TV set, pretending to watch a music video. One of Shinji's 'agents' sat next to him. A Japanese girl roughly 14, she wore the classic "schoolgirl" outfit with black rimmed glasses, tapping keys on a laptop with one hand while liberally spooning ice cream into her mouth with the other.

"They are in." she told him without looking up, interrupted only with more ice cream spooning.

The mastermind sighed, somewhere by the tip of South Africa, Shinji's team just broke into an African Union Missile Base, with any luck…

"I should be there with them." The older Shinji grimaced.

"Look, we went through this before," the young girl turned around. With the look of a nagging girlfriend or tired mother, she lectured Shinji, "you, sir, are the leader of this movement. Only you know everything, thank you Umi," accepting another sundae from a nearby waitress, the "schoolgirl" added, "we can be replaced, Kaji can be replaced. But we need YOU for the final act, we all know after the Tokyo Bay incident that if you die, the whole operation will fall apart. It nearly did last time, and time is running out."

"How much more time do we have?" Shinji asked.

"You know as much as I do." The girl answered curtly.

"Hi there!" A booming voice cut in. Casting a shadow over the tiny girl which nearly earned him a mallet on head from the said girl, the owner of the bar walked over.

"Oh... it's you...", the girl sighed, dropping the mallet. "Mr. Hentai."

The dark-haired man, looking to be on his middle thrities, grinned - "Nice to see you too, Geek Girl." - clearing his way through the empty ice-cream containers, he added – "I see you are being well treated, we have an ice-cream truck standing by around the corner just in case the local stock drops too much."

The girl stuck her tongue to him and resumed her tapping and ice-cream spooning.

"Marcos!" Shinji greeted, shaking the Brazilian's hand. "You are doing well, I see."

"I am getting by." The big man grinned. Marcos always made a point not to call Shinji's name or inquire about his background, which meant the two always got along very well. "Paying the rents."

"More than that from the look of it, do you have a crowd so large every night?"

"Just about," Marcos answered, "twice more on weekends and holidays."

"You certainly got the eyes for the ladies." Shinji added as the waitress earlier walked by with drinks in hand. Dressed in a fantasy blue outfit with a white ribbon around her neck, the blue-haired young woman attracted attention of every male (and some females) nearby. Behind her, a second girl dressed in a conservative black maid suit, with a pair of long braids that almost reach the floor, and headphones where her ears should be, followed.

Marcos smirked broadly, and shrugged, "I get what I paid for."

"I see... Do you still write those books on your free time?" Shinji asked, drinking from his glass.

"The erotic ones, you mean?"

"AH!" both men turned around to look at "Geek Girl". Without looking away from her laptop, she added "Erotic is a cute word to describe that stuff!"

"And how do you know about it, little girl." the Brazilian man asked, a malicious smile on his face "Have you been intercepting the copies I sent to your sister?"

"No, the old hag got the habbit of reading them out loud when she gets drunk."

Marcos raised an eyebrow in a way that would make Leonard Nimoy proud "She's kidding, right?"

"No." Shinji replied, grinning "Peorth confirmed the story; her exact words were 'Damn, that was hot!'".

The Brazilian man whistled. "I know a couple of people who would pay a fortune for a record of that..."

This section, due to an act of pure stupidity, is currently lost. A full update shall be available once I recover my computer. A quick summary would be the nitty-gritty part of the battle between the Naval base defenders and Shinji's (wo)men.

There is a second session done by Marcos, again, it is currently available due to the fact the computer that had it recorded is currently.. elsewhere.

U.S.N Condoleezza Rice

Approximately seven minutes later

Within the cavernous storage chamber of the super-carrier lay two long Rows of glass cylinders, each with more than ten meters high and three meters wide, and filled to the brim with an unidentifiable amber liquid. Within each cylinder was one of SEELE's ultimate weapons that ended all human resistance the first time around: the organic engines that allowed SEELE's manufactured EVAs to overcome all injuries inflicted by Asuka and EVA-01 back then.

"Impressive," the man known as Chairman Keel breathed. Admiring each biological horror like a loving father to a promising child, he took another deep breathe, taking in the strange taste that flows around in the air. With a smile, the ancient man recalled the scientists who worked on this project commented the strange smell akin the scent of stale blood from a slaughterhouse. But no, Keel thought, _it is the smell of a new, sweet beginning, of a new freedom…_

"Behold…" he commented to his fellow conspirators; the mysterious council that held the inner hierarchy of SEELE. As the group reached the end of the hallway, Keel continued, "With all of our setbacks, of all of our pains with our mysterious tormentors, we shall be victorious, with this."

Held within a tube that is barely two meter tall and half a meter wide, with an array of wires and tubing running from it, lies a human male, roughly 15 years of age. His face is serene and his eyes closed, with a mysterious smile so many girls would kill for. Right below him, a monitor contain a scan of the boy's Bio-scan data, and a machine nearby diligently record each change within the boy.

If anyone has the actual text of this conversation, it would be a pleasure to me if you can send it. I know it is one of EVA manga issues, but I cannot remember which

At the same time…

"We can't hold the door forever," One of Shinji's men yelled as he returned fire with a group of soldiers below. The Union defenders are taking defensive positions below the stairs, answering the commando team's every bullet with a volley from their own. Slowly, the team was losing ground, if not losing people yet.

_An impossible situation,_ Kaji thought. _I need a beer, and Misato_.

Ruthlessly banishing the thought; Kaji went back to staring at the monitors. The virus upload seem to slowdown even as the bullets that flying into the room speed up…

Back at Clovers

The music grew louder as Shinji ordered another drink, hoping to slow down his beating heart. "How close is it?" he mumbled under his breathe to no one in particular, as he watch his younger self getting caught in a deadly embrace by two redheads. In all honestly, Shinji felt slightly…envious.

Well, very slightly envious. But he could not take his mind off the business at hand. Saving the world is serious stuff, he thought.

"THIS IS THE FIFTEENTH TIME YOU ASKED ME!" the little girl next to him screeched, "DON'T YOU THINK I GET TIRED OF IT?"

"Sorry" Shinji mumbled, looking away and carefully moving out the mallet range. No matter how hard he tried, the little girl always seems to be able to reach anyone, anywhere with that hammer of hers.

"You are not sorry…" before the girl could continue, a beep from her laptop interrupted her tirade.

"I am in." she smiled as her fingers begin to dance on the keys with a practice and grace no mortal can match. Within minutes, she found what she needed to do, and within seconds, the virus was executed. Chuckling evilly, the young "Asian" girl whispered to no one in particular, "Tabris dear, I hope you know how to swim!"

Shinji tried very hard to ignore that. No matter what happened, he could never be sure the identities of his "hired help." They seem to be normal…most of the time. Superstitiously, the mastermind stared at the sixteen empty ice-cream cartons by the bar table. _Yea, most of time._

There are some things are better left unspoken.

Bridge of U.S.N Rhode Island

Destroyer-IIC

Sailor I: "Permission to speak frankly, sir!"

Captain: "Permission granted."

Sailor I pointing to USN Condoleezza Rice: "The men and I still don't understand, Captain, what exactly we are hauling in that tanker over there?"

Captain: "I wouldn't know either, son, classified and all. But what I can tell you is that we don't want get involved with this. The last time the navy hauled one of these 'cargos,' we ended up losing the half pacific fleet. "

Sailor II: "I heard about that, we lost some good people there."

Captain: "That we did, son. Sigh, we Americans are a dying breed, 800 sailor died and non-of them even made the headlines. Now days all we hear is Angel this and Angel that, pounding a Japanese city and no one can understand why."

Sailor I: "Damn the Congress and the UN, this is a fool's errand! Why can't the Japanese just pick up and move their cities elsewhere? Why do we have to bleed and die for a bunch of people we never met?"

Captain: "Yea…well, we can't do much about it. It is the way this world works right now, you have your orders, sailor."

Before any of the three men can make anymore negative remarks, the horizon is lit with an unnatural light.

Captain: "what the hell?"

Sailor II: "We have enemy contact sir, 4 missiles, heading toward us due east."

Captain: "Battle Stations! At least here is something we can kill!"

But the officer in his heart realized it is already too late. The missiles came too close from shore, too short a time period for the fleet to detect accurately. Within seconds the order were issued, two of the missiles streak past the aging Destroyer, luckily, they were intercepted by nearby warships' point defense system before they reached their target.

But the aim of the second fair struck true…

U.S.N Condoleezza Rice

Reached out with one maligned hand, the man known as Keel touched the bluish cylinder containing the boy. It felt cold in his hand. Savoring the crisp, clean feel of impending victory in his heart, the chairman of the committee smiled.

Wiping the icy mist off his hand, Keel turned around to his cohorts, "the hour of our brightest victory is upon us…behold, he shall be our striking hand!"

Less than a second later, two N4-Mines armed missile struck the Supertanker with a more than 100 megatons of Force. Beneath the scream of deaths, the screeching of metal, and the roar of systematic detonations, come a bitter and sarcastic laugh.

For most members of SEELE, their final victory is bright indeed.

More than a thousand miles away, Shinji the older raised his glass in salute as he heard the success of the mission and the safe extraction of his team, for the first time in his life (lives?), he did what no one thought was possible,

The ex-second Child turn mastermind gloated: "Here is my striking hand, biatch!"

T.B.C?

Stay tuned for more epic Mecha battles, touching drama, lesbian romance, vicious backstabbers, gunfire, sex, and more in "Evangelion of our lives."

This is not exactly the end…in fact if I proclaim this to be the end, if would be something of a copout. I still got several Angels missing, not to mention Marco's remaining three lemons, or my version of EoE, or the post EoE scenes, or even the author's notes.

Dear readers, would you like to see them? Just out of curiosity. I can't promise a time table or very high quality, but at least I would work on it to see it end. Or we can take this as an ending.

What do you think?


	24. Background

This is the original beginning three chapters of Armageddon Averted, due to its spoiler and ACC/self insert nature, I decided to have it placed as simply background so people who did not watch the show/hate ACC with a passion can skip it. 

"_If I have a super-weapon and my mad scientist tell me it need further testing, I will allow him to do so. No one ever Conquer the world using the beta version_"-Pete's evil overlord list. 

………………………….

__

LCL…oceans of it hitting the shore in a never ending tide. In the distant horizon lies what's left of the SEELE EVAs, decaying hunks of flesh that once were Engines of destruction, now perverse memorials of this world's final hour. And somewhere above in the stars lies Rei/Lilth, the final product of the instrumentality project, the last evidence of the human civilization. On a sandy beach near the crater that once was known as TOKYO-3, there lies a boy and a girl. All that's left of what once were a proud race, ten thousand years of history, all reduced to ashes by the decisions of a group of senile men questing for immortality. 

With his arms around her throat, the boy stares into the eyes of his female companion, and croaked: "I feel sick." The girl did not react, she did not move, she barely breathed. 

After several long and agonizing seconds, the third child, no, he can't be called the Third child anymore, because he no longer pilot that 50-ton bio horror anymore. _Shinji _release his grip on his ex-coworker's throat, but still no response.

  
"Asuka, please don't die." He pleaded to the stilled form and watch in fear, as her breaths become shorter and shorter. 

"Asuka, I need you, I don't want to be alone." Still no response, Shinji now wonder if that last tender touch he receive earlier was a cosmic joke from god, taunting and spiting the poor boy for his role in the Armageddon.

With a feeling of helplessness he have not felt since the day his father declared the only reason he needed him was to pilot the bio-metal monstrosities called unit-01, Shinji broke down and cries out in fear, fear of loneliness in a world that is barren of life, empty of joy, _devoid of love._

"Asuka, don't die on me…I…I cannot live without you." 

With this declaration followed with a sacrifice of tears, shinji is reward with a groan from the fallen Eva pilot. He looks into her eyes and for the first time in a long time he saw a light in those jewels.

"Err….Shinji?" 

"Asuka….you, you are alive."

"Barely….can you do something for me?" 

"What?"

Several long and agonizing seconds passes…

"Will you get off me? You baka hentai" 

Blushing furiously as images of a similar debacle with Rei flash through his mind, Shinji remove his offending hand. Unfortunately, this time he got a series of wrecking coughs from Asuka instead. A small ribbon of blood bubble out of her lips, to the basic-med trained Shinji (Living with Misato's cooking prompted him to take certain lessons to prepare for the big disaster that were always loomed in the horizon) meant only one thing and one thing only: Internal damage. He has no idea how or what it can be, but recalling the amount of punishment Asuka took in her last battle before her EVA went six feet under, Shinji know it cannot be good. What is worse, with Tokyo-3 nothing but a smoking crater, there is little chance for proper medical aid before she bled to death. 

Asuka must realize it too, because her breath suddenly become quicker and quicker. Slowly, in a rhythmic way, she whispers out to her sole audience. 

"Shinji…do you remember the time I told you… that I would not like you even if all the men in the world dies? Well…I lied…I really did like you a lot, since the first day I met you aboard the Carrier…I was jealous, but I…"

Placing a finger in front Asuka's lips, Shinji replies: " shush, I know, I like you as a friend too…"

"Not as a friend you baka…"But Shinji interrupts her again.

"Be quiet, you need to conserve your strength. You are dead tired," dry laughter "Rest now, it will be better in the morning."

"God damn it, of all the **males** in the world I could have gotten stuck with, I have to live with you! Shinji Ikari! A bloody poor liar of the first order! Oh God I miss Kaji! You know well as I do I am not going to live till morning, but before I go, let me explain this to you baka…." 

But before she can say anything else, shouts of alert interrupt her. Four men in black armor armed with Heavy assault Rifles, flanking an elderly man dressed in white with a single briefcase, came in running down the beach. 

"Your readings are correct Alex," the white uniformed man in the center spoke to a metal piece that is attached to his wrist, "there are people down here. You ok kids? Oh shit!" with one look at the nearly dead Asuka, the white uniformed man run and sit down next to her, reaching out with a hand and begin to probe her with a pen-like item that periodically beeped red. 

"Great, massive internal bleeding," The old man murmurs, then pull out a gun like object, which he point at her chest and shot her at point blank range, the gun hisses each time as it empty its life giving munitions into her. After five or six doses, he turns around to Shinji: " That should hold off the bleeding so she wont die during transit, now exactly what did you do to the poor girl?" 

"Well umm… you see…" Shinji found himself in a loss for words, as usual. 

"I have no time for this." the old man interrupts, and then he press a button on his wrist-com " _Alex? _Yes, we found the survivors, two of them, look like teenagers, but one of them is badly hurt. I am going to examine the other one right now, but I need a medical shuttle down ASAP, yes, do bring down a Regeneration tank if it is not too much trouble. Gerald out." 

The man called Gerald turns around to check out Shinji, waving the same pen/probe over the boy's body, but this time the pen made only two beeps. 

"You are ok for a kid who just survived the end of the world. Some Gel-band is probably all you need, let me take care of that. Take off your shirt." After Shinji did what he is told, the man reach into his briefcase and pull out a red bottle and begin to apply it to the boy's chest and back. Just as he finishes, a shuttle with a boxy design (think of those planes with lots of missiles from episode one) landed. 

With a commanding presence worthy of general, Gerald gesture the four men to carry Asuka aboard. 

"Come along now boy, it is time to leave this dead world."

(this is where chapter 2 starts) 

--------

Several hours later

"_Where am I_?" Thought Asuka as she finally opens her eyes for the first time in seven hours, looking up and down, she see herself wearing her birthday suit and floating around in a pool of milky white liquid. _" I can breath, so is this LCL? No wait LCL is red…this stuff…tastes better" _she thought.

With the uncertainty of a new borne babe, she reaches out with her arms to feel the unfamiliar environment around her, and eventually the cool feeling of glass told her she is in a tube of some kind. _Oh yea, the Regeneration tank, or whatever that guy toss me into, did he took off my clothes? Did Shinji saw me naked? How dare they! _As curiosity melts into rage of possible violation, the red-haired girl raises her arms to pound on the glass.

Shinji at the moment is nervously (and blushing) as he stares (well not exactly stare, it is more like periodically peeking since he is facing away from the tank) at the nude 14-years old redhead that is floating rather carelessly around the tank while desperately tries to hold back a nosebleed. As the carelessness changed to fury, the Japanese cringed at the thought of another punch in the face and quickly turns around and stay turned around to face the other two occupants of the room.

Granted, it was not the first time he ever see her nude (or nearly wearing nothing), but previous times it usually involved him being violently kicked and ejected from Misato's apartment through walls, doors, and windows, following the usual well documented {by fan-fiction writers} string of curses denouncing his sexual indiscretions, and if she feel especially peevish, his lack of spine. And of course, all while Misato, their self appointed "Guardian" watches on (and semi-drunk). 

Gerald, unable to hide the amusements in his eyes as he stare at the young boy like a specimen to be dissected, finally decide to break the ice and say: "So, will you tell us what happened?" 

Still nervous at the fact that any second he will have a angry redhead on top of him, can only give his trademark response "……….." 

Alex, the man that greeted Shinji and Gerald at the docking bay, until this point is checking the stats of the multi-bank of equipments that covers the walls of the room, turns around, and points out the window, where the ruins of the giant Lilth/Rei thing hovering above the horizon: "Yes, the young lady is beautiful, but we need to know why Earth….is like this right now." 

"Can …we… take this conversation… elsewhere? I rather not be sticking around when she gets out the tank, she get slightly annoyed at the idea that someone might see her naked." _Well, there is the understatement of the year. _

"Don't worry son, she is not due to exit for another two hours, now talk, all of us here are on a tight schedule." Gerald is still talking like he did before, but there is now clearly a hint of steel entwined in the word _schedule._

"Perhaps…it would…be…nice…if..f…you..u…intro…duce yourselves first?" Shinji's cringes, as a furious _bang _can be heard from the Regeneration Tank. 

The first man speaks first "Alright, my name is Alexander Chinoaski, I am the chief engineer and what pass for a leader on this ship, this is Gerald, our doctor. We are members of the out-bound project, have you heard of us?"

The name struck a cord in Shinji's head, even as the banging continues. Shinji's eye widen slightly as he take a quick trip down the memory lane, Back to one of his sensei's lessons, periodically interrupt by err…healthy signs of Asuka's recovery.

" 15 years ago, before the second impact, there was a project Out-Bound expedition, using a technology known as a fusion reactor and a Fuychanda-William Drive (developed by a Japanese and a American scientist) that have not been seen since the impact. They attempted to breach the fifth-space, or the reality barrier between time and space and leave the solar system. The starship, aptly named _Hope for Mankind_, was launched with 500 hands aboard, but just as the ship was about to warp, Second Impact struck, and majority of the experts, well survived experts anyway, since NASA Florida, Tokyo Space center, Beijing Aero-research all ended up underwater shortly afterwards, conclude the furious meteor-storm that followed the second-impact Asteroid shredded the ship into pieces. It is widely believed what is left of that ship is now in the sea of…Asuka, Shinji! You are late, now go stand out in the hall! It is your fault baka!" 

Shinji quickly snap into attention, when he realizes Alexander is waving his left hand in front of his eyes. 

"Yes I have heard of the Out Bound Project, but…"

"We were dead? Hardly," Alexander replies: "luckily, we manage to start the warp-drive in time right before the crash and break free, but the asteroid's gravitation field pulled and shredded the F-W drive, killing more than half of us aboard, including the command crew and left us stranded about forty light years away from Earth, thankfully, we manage to find a world to settle in, and it even more surprisingly, we found a ruined alien settlement with no one alive but a veritable treasure trove of technological loot, so we decide to settle there. Using cloning and gene-splicing we even manage to start a thriving colony."

"So why did you come back?"

Gerald looks up from a report he was examining to answer the question: "Well, you see, the planet we found had a elliptical orbit, with one revolution roughly 20,489 Earth days to the star that we had pass for the sun. So eventually, the planet moved so far away from that sun it started an ice age, with glaciers creeping and entombing entire outer settlements. So we had to pack up and come back here, only to find a nearly dead world with only you two, and that circus of horrors." pointing to the Rei/Lilith out the window "So why don't you tell us who you and her are and why we found only two of you in a world that might pass for a chapter _in the book of the revelations_?" 

"Well you see…" in the next hour or so, Shinji explained the Evas, Adam, Lilith and Rei, his father, NERV and SEELE and how this all came to pass. Even as he talked, both men just stood there as if they were statues, spellbound by this incredible story. 

After several long and painful moments, Gerald break the silence: "So let me get it straight, a group of old men who fear their impending mortality, so they decided to clone and play God, based on a scroll that was thousand years old with who knows how many typos, and created a bunch of horrible monsters that end up with a ritual that deserve to be stuck in a B-rated movie written some depressed third-rate Hollywood producer and reduced all of mankind into a predomial stew? All in the name _of instrumentality_?" 

Shinji could only nod at the old man's assessment. 

"I can't believe this. You know, when I was a kid, there was a movie that was quite popular involving an asteroid crashing on to Earth, but there, the President of United State said: For the first time in this planet's history a specie have the power to prevent its own extinction, but these guys extinct the EARTH! Several billions of lives, countless species of animals and plants, my god, what would the younger generation say? They all looked forward to come and see their ancestral home." 

Gerald's rant is interrupt by a ping sound from the console.

"Here is a towel boy, look like your girlfriend is coming out, be a gentlemen and go dry her up, come on Alex, we have much work to do, we must inform the others of this situation."

Before Shinji could excuse himself from such the noble duty of…well cleaning up Asuka, both Gerald and Alexander left the room with a speed that belies their age, only the hissing sound of a door closing marked their exit.

Turning around with the towel in hand, Shinji is reward with the sight of a dripping wet Asuka, freshly out the Regeneration Tank, with one hand balled into a fist… 

The Third child could do nothing as his world explode into dancing pen-pens. 

---------

Elsewhere in a darkened room, six men and six women sat together around a circular table. No, this is not SEELE, but actually the Office of the Directors aboard the Hope. 

Gerald: "The boy confirmed what we manage to salvage out of Tokyo 3, down to the letter. It is unbelievable what happened. We manage to obtain records of the MAGI system and brought it online, and let me tell you, the final hours of Earth made my blood gone cold. My family, my ex-wife, my children, all gone because a group of idiots were afraid of their own shadows." 

Voice one: "So what can we do? Leave this planet? Our astronomical officers can find us another planet to settle down I am sure, with the sea going red with LCL it is obvious that it will not be able support our colony."  
  


Voice two: "Negative, it would be too risky, we do not have enough deuterium to fuel another jump, or sea water to distill it from. And if any of you study astronomy before, then you will know since they are so far away, the lights coming from planets that we might see as a possible home is actually eons earlier. Verdant pastures could be actually a molten sea of lava, or a just simply cold, dead ball at this point." 

Voice Three: "This planet was our only choice, and now we are in trouble. Our food supplies are running dry, and water level is getting lower and lower, three month from now on, or even less, there going to be major supply trouble."

Alexanderclearing his throat: "There is a possible solution…a DANGEROUS solution." 

Voice Four: "You don't mean project Chronos? It is too risky! We saw what happened to the ruined alien colony, and if the records we found is correct, they wiped themselves out in a attempt to alter time." 

Alexander: "exhales I am aware of the risk, but they were desperate, but not as desperate as us at this point. We cannot allow the summation of what we learned to be destroyed and left to dust, if we can get a person into NERV and sabotage the embryonic form or the early stages of this 'Adam' or possibly "Lilth", we can stop this…nightmare from unfolding."

Voice Seven (Female): "I hear only 'maybe' 'possible' and 'ifs', those are not the words of a researcher! ALEX! Is your mind becoming dull as your Instruments? We need hard facts, not wishes and."

Voice One: "If I recall the alien tablets correctly, they said 'time is river, a passenger through time is like a pebble, it will not alter the river's course, but It might create a few ripples before sinking…"

Gerald: "A few ripples are all we need. For humanity and our survival, and I think I know a pebble you might consider…"

Voice Two: "And how we can get this _pebble_ into that place? You know well if the time traveling device works, our pebble would be lucky if they had their own skins intact. Not to mention NERV, if the MAGI system shows correctly, is one of the most secure installations on the planet."

Gerald: "I have something that might even the odds, the Xia Computers, download the entire magi system into it, and our agent would be able to walkthrough the halls down to the Central Terminal as if he own the place."

Silence reigned for a long time as everyone begin to digest that idea…

………

Back to the Shinji beater…

"So sorry As..Asuka, I am so sorry, soo…" Shinji's plead is cut short by another punch in the stomach. As he crumples on to the floor like a doll with its string cut, he see Asuka standing over him, smiling. 

"That was the fee of saying sorry without my permission, baka." 

Shinji curled there in a fetal position as he digest the information while watching the teenage banshee putting on her clothes, a jumpsuit that resemble the suit she wear in a EVA but considerably less…tight. 

"So umm…you are not mad that I saw you naked?"

"Don't push it." Suddenly with a coy look that deeply remind Shinji of Misato, Asuka kneel down in front the boy, with her front zipper open enough to show her ample cleavage. Shinji's face quickly turns red and he tries desperately to hold back the warm rush of blood that is threatening the explode out his face. While at the same time, he realizes certain lower part of him is expanding, and he knows Asuka can see it too. 

"Just as I thought, pervert as usual." But this time, he didn't get hit again, nor did she turn around and leave.

__

I will never understand her. Shinji thought. 

Before he can form a reply, the door slide open and a young man of African American decent in a tech uniform walk in. He looks about their age, with a touch of white in what otherwise to be raven black hair. He coughed politely to get the young…couple's attention. 

"If you don't mind, I 'd like to show you to your quarters."

Shinji and Asuka were led down a darken corridor to a rather Spartan room with a single twin-sized bed, a shelf, a two table, a pair computers, a table full of food, drinks and a box of tissues, and a door that lead to an adjacent showering facility/lavatory. 

Asuka is first to break the silence: "Err there is only one bed, what happen if pervert boy get horny and attack me in the middle of a night?"

The tech raise an eyebrow curiously and replieds: "well judging by the fact how long it took you to deck him in the medical chamber, Earning blush from Asuka I don't think that is really a problem. But since you are not stapled like the rest of us, here." He tosses a small plastic packet to Shinji. "Wear this before you attack her." 

Before either kid can say a word, the door closes in front of them with a hiss and the Tech left. Being such an unusual and high-tech ship, neither Shinji nor Asuka could find the way to open it.

"So what did he give you?"

After several moment of uncomfortable silence, Shinji answered:

"A condom. NERV brand too, 'when you need protection strong as an AT field', Look like they dug into the Geo-front already."

{This is not a theft of idea, this is a tribute the Andrew Huang's Neon Genesis Evajellydounts, one of the greatest humor EVA fan-fics ever-author}

Asuka, in response did what she always do when present with any suggestions of sexual intercourse: she let out a piercing wail that can be heard throughout the mile-long starship, shattering hundreds of test tubes and instantly ruin countless hours of experiment. In the conference room where the executive board is holding their meeting, Gerald smiled: " Yes ladies & gentlemen, I think I have the boulders we need for this task."

(This is the start of chapter 3)

---------

Aboard the _Hope of Mankind_, 20:00 Earth standard-time

"I am going to the showers first Shinji, no peeking now." 

"Yea, sure." Shinji replies absent-mindedly as he turn on the computer and begin to listen to music, then quickly shut the computer down. Apparently, the Hope crews are wonderful technicians, but certainly have a weird taste in music, all those songs are at least 15-20 years old. Sighing in disappointment that his favorite songs are not there, Shinji turn off the computer and spend his time watching satellite Rei/Lilth revolve beyond the horizon. 

"Dreaming about perverse fantasies of wondergirl again?" Asuka ask in a sarcastic tone as she peak her head out the shower. 

"No Asuka. I am just wondering about why did Rei consent to do all this. If I only talk to her a little bit more, maybe a little more caring, show her something about life, she would not have…"

"She consented to this and you know it! Because she is a DOLL!" Asuka spat out the name as if it is something poisonous; "She had no emotions, she was not built with emotions, she is nothing but an item to carry out your father's perverted fantasies."

Without turning around, Shinji continue to stare at the images of Rei/Lilth and the other EVAs, and answer back: " No Asuka. She had emotions…I know that for a fact."

"Oh did YOU?" Asuka's voice went up by an octave, "Let me guess, you went into her house, and she came out the showers, and next thing you know you are on top her with panties and bras flying." 

If Asuka is staring at Shinji's face at this moment, she would have been appalled by the pale face of her male companion; but thankfully, the darken background of the view port did not translate colors into his reflections. Mustering ever iota of self-control he ever had, Shinji take a single deep breath then force himself to calm down.

__

Calm down, there is no way Asuka would know about the Rei-incident, because she would have you strangled alive a long time ago if she found out. 

"No, because after the battle with the 5th Angel, when I pulled her out the entry plug, she smiled at me. I always wondered if that was the first time she ever smiled."

Hearing Shinji gushing about her most hated enemy is enough to send Asuka into a state of seething fury, without another exchange she slam the door to the shower stall with an loud bang. After what it seem to be eternity, the door reopens and Asuka came back out.

"Oh Shinji-kun…"

THAT immediately got Shinji's attention, when Asuka talk to him with that tone, it is usually preclude to a tease then a string of blistering oaths. So as Shinji turns around, he was not that surprised to see Asuka wearing nothing but a towel covering her torso. 

"You know, now we are alone, and you have that condom…" Asuka smile at him suggestively, then she allow the towel to fall another inch. _That certainly got Shinji's attention_. Desperately trying to hold back a nosebleed, Shinji could only tremble as he found his own body paralyzed likes a mouse staring into a viper's eyes. 

Asuka let the towel fall to the floor. The sheer sexual power of that one act made Shinji's nose erupt in fresh geysers of red. Quickly he turn around to grab a tissue from the desk to hold off the bleeding, after he finally stem of the tide of red, he turns around and found Asuka sitting on the bed, but she actually wore her underwear under that towel (Red of course). With a dramatic air, she point at the poor boy and said:

"You know Shinji, under this rate, I can picture your epitaph now; Shinji the invincible and spineless, leader of the three stooges, lover of dolls and pilot of metal monstrosities, defeat angels after angel, only to fall to a nasty nose bleed." 

Shinji could not talk. Time after time, Asuka manage to play him like a fiddle. Seeing her invasion completed and all resistance render futile by her blitz attack, the German Redhead figure now it is time to have her defeated foe sign the peace treaty and let her dictate the term of occupations. 

"Shinji, Go get a shower, you can sleep with me tonight. But let us settle a few ground rules: No touching of my bra and panty, No kissing, No physical contact of any kind, and especially no hentai fantasies of wondergirl, got it?" 

{Sorry Ryoma, but I couldn't help it but to steal that line…it is just so wonderfully balanced-author}

Shinji, still reeling from the effects of the Asuka maneuver, could only nod as he went into the shower, wash, then climb into bed with her. A few minutes afterward…

"Asuka?" 

"Yes Shinji?" 

"You are, um, violating your own rules."

"Which ones?" 

"The no touching part."

"Do you mind?"

After some careful considerations of the pros and cons of refusing her, Shinji decide not to press the issue: "not exactly…but can you violate them, I mean the rules, gently? I really like to be able to say…replenish my nearly depleted air supply?" 

"Oh." 

--------

The morning, or what pass for a morning aboard a Spaceship. 

Shinji got up and got himself dressed, choosing one of the jumpsuits that was in the closet left by their host, not exactly flashy, but space travel really don't give you any opinions for style or fashion. A quick glance out the view-port told Shinji the "ring of Evas" has pass behind Earth and is now out of sight. Looking back at the sleeping angel on his bed, he could not help but break out a smile.

"Shinji?"   
  
"Yes Asuka?" 

"I wonder what our former classmates would think of us now?"

"Toji would have a coronary, while Kensuke would probably try to catch this on tape, the class rep would tell us how we are living in sin. Misato…she would probably go off to collect her winning about some bet involve us getting together, then get drunk, very drunk."

"Yea…I guess. You know? I really wish we could go back. Even just to see the Stooges. Their antics were…well, the third impact showed me they are just immature compare to us. What they did was harmless."

"So you mean you are not mad about Toji and Kensuke selling pictures of you?"

The icy glare from Asuka should have warn him something is wrong, the silence should have warned him of the impending doom, but Asuka recent…warm actions made Shinji lower his guards and continue to ramble on: " let see…there were pictures of you in class, in the gym, in locker room, in the sho…" 

The next thing Shinji knows, a leaf in the shape of Asuka's hand stuck him squarely in the face and thank to the low gravity of the ship (not anime physics), sent him sailing into the wall, hard. 

"AND I BET YOU BROUGHT COPIES OF IT RIGHT PREV?"

"I am sorry." Shinji quickly went back to his elementary defense, surprisingly, this time worked, because the fuming German teenager is already entertaining visions of the two Stooges being struck down by the mighty Langley wraith. 

"When I get my hand on those bastards there is going to be hell to pay."

A beeping sound interrupts Asuka's vengeful reverie, as a mechanical voice chimes: "If you are ready, please visit the doctor's office ASAP." From one of the niches in the closet, a robot powers itself up and literally, floats through the air and waits by the door. For the first time in a long while the door slide open. 

"Doctor?" Asuka give perplexed look. 

  
"I think it meant Gerald's office, come on, and get dressed." 

------

Five staircases, two ladders, and three elevators later.

As the two approaches the office that marked "Gerald." The door slide open noiselessly to admit the two teenagers. To their surprise, Gerald was not alone; he had Alexander and two techs with him. The elderly Russian shake their hands, but remain stand up by the doctor. 

The room resemble the one the couple spend the night together. It has a single desk, a console, an examination bed, some equipments, a fridge and a shelve with some odd shaped rocks and bones and few CDs, but nothing else. The greatest luxury, Shinji realizes, within an enclosed space, is the empty spaces themselves. 

Gerald pretended to ignore the red welt that is now decorating Shinji's face, but instead he politely reaches into the fridge behind him and hand Shinji an ice pack. After several painful moments, Alexander decided to break the ice.

"So tell me, young lady, what would you do if you can go back in time?" 

"I would find that chrysalis of Adam, then break the damn thing. Maybe then the Angels wouldn't come. I would somehow release the information about the EVA project to the rest of the world, and get wondergirl a life. If she don't merge with Adam, maybe, maybe all this wouldn't happen." 

"I see. How bout you Shinji?"

"I will go and kill my father."

Three sets of eyes now riveted to him, all stare him in surprise.

"He was responsible for this whole crisis, in the end, he used everybody just to get mother, a woman who was killed because his insane experiments with…godhood. He cost me of my friends, someone so dear to me that I can call family, and almost cost me the other one I can truly call family. For the sake future of mankind, I will not allow it to happen."

Alexander frowned, Asuka look as if she is in shock, but Gerald smiles. 

"What would you say if I can give you a chance, should we say, to truly save the world?" 

---------

Several hours later, in a large room with a giant steel ring in the center, surrounded by a bank of electronics. 

Alexander points to one of the large metal ring that took up most of the cavernous chamber, curved with Runes that don't look like anything found on earth, it ominously stood there as if daring the EVA pilots to brave its perils: "In here you see one of our most advance technology ever, a time traveling machine, once you pass this gate, it would teleport you to your destination. Be warned, the trip is one way."

Shinji: "Errr…just out of curiosity, what would happen if we, say meet the former version of ourselves, wouldn't we die or the Universe explode?"

Tech: "You read too many sci-fi novels, but yes, our superiors have thought about that scenario. We ran a test based on it by sending one of our lab hamsters through the gate and set the time backward for an hour with a message 'Gate test', or at least we assume our future held a test like that…well it is hard to explain. But sufficiently say we brought both hamsters to each other and the Universe have not fallen apart yet." 

Asukafrowns: "Ok… that is good to know…" 

Seeing his young charges begin to look at the whole scenario dubiously, Alexander quickly continue his pace: " We will send you both through the gate, it should beam you two about six-eight months backwards, according to your desires, you want to beam to a department in the suburbs of Tokyo-3?"

Shinji nods and replies: "That is correct, beam us to Misato's apartment." 

Just as the two teenagers step onto the steps that lead to the alien gate, Gerald walk in shouting: "hold one second, I have an parting gift for the two kids, " The Doctor ignore an withering stare from Alex and withdraw a small gun, the same kind Gerald used on Asuka first time they meet, then aimed it at the back of Shinji and Asuka's neck and fires: "This is a computer which will identify you to us when we jump orbit second time, It will active itself once you get pass the gate, and you can communicate your wishes to it by thoughts. It contains all of NERV's access codes we could salvage from that wreck, as well as their basic angstroms coding, it is the only thing close to a piece of equipment we can get through the warp gate intact. Alright, good luck."

With a wave of a hand, the Doctor point to the three engineers standing by the banks of consoles and they begin to tap into their controls with the same skill that reminded the two EVA pilots of the bridge bunnies. 

"Power at 45%"

"Field integrity rising" 

"Power at 75%" 

"Field integrity stabilizing" 

"Power at 90%" 

"All equipment running on nominal performance" 

With a gesture from the Alex, the two teens walk into the electrical void. 

But something went wrong. Slowly, Asuka realizes both of them are caught into a hurricane of some kind, with Shinji been pulled in one direction and Asuka in another, desperately both of them try to hold on to each other, but the maelstrom slowly, inch by inch pulls them apart. 

"Shinjiiiiiiii….." is all Asuka can scream before a curtain of light, brighter than anything she ever seen, cover her eyes…

------

AN: The world I am thinking (described by Gerald) of is Alpha Centauri, if anyone play the EPIC computer game(still rated the best turn based strategy game ever) in question, you would understand this, I think later I might even include a dumb down version of this game in the stories. 


End file.
